E D I T O R I A L

Good Versus Evil
So it's come to this - working women's groups that alert clients to union activities will be denied federal government funding and, effectively, forced to close.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: A Life And Death Matter
Macquarie Street and Canberra are squaring off over safety in the workplace, NSW Minister for Industrial relations, John Della Bosca, explains what's at stake.

Unions: Fighting Back
When John Howard's building industry enforcer started threatening people's homes, one couple hit the road. Jim Marr met them in Sydney.

Industrial: What Cowra Means
The ruling on the Cowra abattoir case highlights the implications of the new IR rules, according to John Howe and Jill Murray

Environment: Scrambling for Energy Security
Howard Government hypocrisy is showcased in its climate change manoeuvring, Stuart Rosewarne writes:

Politics: Page Turner
A new book leaves no doubt about whether the faction came before the ego, Nathan Brown writes.

Economics: The State of Labour
The capacity of the state to shape the political economy and thus improve the social lives of the people must be reasserted, argues Geoff Dow.

International: Workers Blood For Oil
A new book by Abdullah Muhsin and Alan Johnson lifts the lid on the bloody reality of US backed democracy for Iraq's trade unions

History: Liberty in Spain
Worker Self-Management is good management. The proof in Spain was in Catalania, Andalusia and continues in the Basque Country, as Neale Towart explains.

Review: Go Roys, Make A Noise
Phil Doyle thought he'd find nostalgia, but instead Vulgar Press' new book, Maroon & Blue is a penetrating insight into the suburban mind under stress.

N E W S

Sprung: Light on Day

Mal Content to Challenge King

More Standover Tactics in WA

Qantas Holidays Delayed 150 Years

Hockey Wields Stick

We Have Ways of Cutting Your Pay

Jihad Johnny Targets Women

Council Workers Talk The Walk

Trujillo Slices Millions Off Bottom Line

Vehicle Jobs on Skids

Teachers Suspend Selves

Bishop Damns WorkChoices

Workers Rights On The Road

ACTU Backs Business, Germans

Activist's What's On!

C O L U M N S

The Locker Room
Ruled Out
Phil Doyle plays by the rules

Fiction
Tommy's Apprentice
Chapter One - Tommy and "The Boy"

Politics
Westie Wing
Ian West wonders what might happen if the NSW Coalition actually did win power next March at the State elections.

L E T T E R S

WHAT YOU CAN DO

	About Workers Online
	Latest Issue
	Print Latest Issue
	Previous Issues
	Advanced Search

other LaborNET sites

Labor Council of NSW
Vic Trades Hall Council
IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation

Hockey Wields Stick

Human Services Minister, Joe Hockey, was dropped into the industrial relations scrum, a day after it was revealed a department under his watch, Centrelink, cut disability payments to a seriously ill Perth teenager.

Hockey's appointment as "Minister assisting the Minister for Workplace Relations" is part of a Government shake up, which includes a backbench taskforce, to sell the unpopular laws.

Victorian Liberal MP Phil Barresi, a former human resources manager and vocal WorkChoices supporter, will chair the taskforce.

Other inclusions are: Tasmanian Senator Guy Barnett, NSW Senator Fiona Nash, Queensland MP Margaret May, South Australian MP Patrick Secker and West Australian Senator David Johnson.

Prime Minister John Howard said the move did not mean the government was rattled by opposition to the Industrial Relations laws.

"I don't apologise for building up the firepower, if you like, in a very important battle, that's good tactics," Howard said.

Unions NSW Assistant Secretary Mark Lennon said the Government's extra manpower would not change the fact that people knew they are being ripped off under WorkChoices.

Hockey was forced into an embarrassing backdown last week after it was revealed Centrelink ruled Leukeamia sufferer Matthew Pearce, who is so weak he has to be washed and dressed by his mother, was fit to work.

Pearce's mother was sent a letter saying she could not receive a disability support payment, as her son had failed an assessment test.

The Government's welfare policies, which force disabled people into the workforce, have been blamed for the situation arising.

Pearce's mother, Vicki, said she raised her situation with her local Labor MP because she feared other families were in the same situation.

"I can't be the only parent out there with a problem like this," she said.

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 319 contents

© 1999-2002 Workers Online
Workers Online is a resource for the Labour movement
provided by the Labor Council of NSW
URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/319/news5_hockey.html
Last Modified: 14 Aug 2006