Workers Online
Workers Online
Workers Online
  Issue No 55 Official Organ of LaborNet 26 May 2000  

 --

 --

 --

.  LaborNET

.  Ask Neale

.  Tool of the Week


Tool Shed

Howard's Wicked Ways


When tens of thousands of Sydney-siders march for reconciliation this weekend one man will not be among them. And he calls himself a leader ...

Armed with polls showing the political benefits in maintaining his strategy of wedge politics, Howard will stay at home while we cross the bridge.

We shouldn't be surprised: this is a man who's first act in power was to commission a study into ATSIC 'rorts' and whose every move since has been to pander to prejudice.

Today, the decade long dream of reconciliation lies in tatters, with no official apology and little short-term prospect

This is a Prime Minister brought up to believe that Australian history started in 1770, that Aborigines were natives and that assimilation was a noble cause.

You can't blame him for his upbringing; but what you can't excuse is his inability to see the shift in the society and lead, rather than trying to hold it back for political advantage.

Make no mistake about it. Behind the all rhetoric, practical reconciliation is really about politics. It's about sniffing the wind and giving the swinging voters what they say they want in the polls.

The big play of course is the One Nation voters - who could well decide the next election if they return to the Tories' en masse. Come election time, don't be surprised to see the footage of bridge being used in all sorts of ways - and not just to promote reconciliation.

There is a darkness at the centre of this government and it has yet to do all its damage.


Nominate a Tool!

Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Your Country: Your State:
The Tool you wish to nominate:
Type why you think this person should be Tool of the Week here:

------

*   View entire issue - print all of the articles!

*   Issue 55 contents

In this issue
Features
*  Interview: The University of Rupert
National Tertiary Education Union president Dr Carolyn Allport on News Corp's move into tertiary education and the Universitas 21 experiment.
*
*  International: The Unionist Who Sparked a Coup
Workers Online's Fiji expert Andrew Casey profiles one of the men at the centre of the crisis, detained PM Mahendra Chaudry
*
*  Unions: The Call to Action
The Australian Services Union is leading the push into the call centre industry. But winning these new workplaces is a major challenge.
*
*  Politics: Workplace Gladiators
Peter Reith as Russell Crowe? That's the image Labor IR spokesman Arch Bevis conjured up in a frecent address to the Industrial Relations Society.
*
*  History: How to be a Good Unionist
It's 1917, WWI rages and federal public servants are given these rules on how to dischare their responsibility as members.
*
*  Legal: The Price of Solidarity
Intimidation, threats and even murder still await many workers who attempt to organize in a number of countries around the world, says a new ILO report.
*
*  Review: Inconvenient History
In may be cold comfort to Republicans, but the vote for Federation was every bit as tempestuous as this collection of articles shows.
*
*  Satire: World Bank Caves In
In a victory for Seattle protestors, international monetarists have decreed that global utopia to begin immediately.
*

News
»  Fiji Faces International Union Blockade
*
»  Workers Return to Dump Reith's Third Wave
*
»  Budget Raises More Questions than Answers
*
»  Teachers Finally Achieve Satisfaction
*
»  FairWear Campaign Targets Uniforms
*
»  Rio Tinto Appeals for Industrial Peace
*
»  Beer Hike Sparks Worker Concerns
*
»  Libs Fail to Block Family Friendly Laws
*
»  No Joy For 'Back Door' Pete
*
»  Angry Truckies Converge on Border
*
»  Unions Dues Test Case Looms
*
»  Why Solidarity Messages Mean Something
*
»  Radio Free East Timor Rocks
*

Columns
»  The Soapbox
*
»  Sport
*
»  Trades Hall
*
»  Tool Shed
*

Letters to the editor
»  Neale's Spot On!
*
»  Silence on the GST
*

What you can do

Notice Board
- Check out the latest events

Latest Issue

View entire latest issue
- print all of the articles!

Previous Issues

Subject index

Search all issues

Enter keyword(s):
  


Workers Online - 2nd place Labourstart website of the year


BossWatch


Wobbly Radio



[ Home ][ Notice Board ][ Search ][ Previous Issues ][ Latest Issue ]

© 1999-2000 Labor Council of NSW

LaborNET is a resource for the labour movement provided by the Labor Council of NSW

URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/55/d_pierswatch_howard.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005

[ Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Credits ]

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW

 *LaborNET*

 Labor Council of NSW

[Workers Online]

[Social Change Online]