Issue No 67 | 18 August 2000 | |
News'Shoot to Kill' Powers Under Union Fire
The Federal Government's sweeping new legal powers that would allow the military to crush civil dissent, have come under fire from a wide range of unions.
The Defence Legislation Amendment (Aid to the Civilian Authorities) Bill, currently before the Senate, would allow troops to suppress political disturbances, including industrial disputes and political protest. The Bill is being presented under the pretext of Olympic Security. Michael Costa says the NSW Labour Council will be expressing its concerns about the use of the military in domestic situations to the State and Federal Governments. 'The military shouldn't be used to interfere with industrial disputes or legitimate civil protests. If the laws are needed for short term Olympic requirements then there should be a sunset clause,' he says. 'We wouldn't support any government, Liberal or Labor, using the military as in the Pilots dispute, to undermine the legitimate rights of workers and their unions.' The Government and the Opposition combined to rush through the legislation which will fundamentally change the military's role in Australia. The Bill was passed through the House of Representatives in one day (June 28) virtually unnoticed while the country was distracted by GST mania. It is due to be voted on in the Senate by the end of August in time for the Olympic Games. Organiser Amanda Perkins read a resolution from AMWU members at Visyboard to the Labour Council before the resolution was adopted. 'Many of these workers emigrated to Australia to escape such repressive conditions in third world countries such as Turkey, Indonesia Yugoslavia or China,' she said. 'The emotional impact of seeing the army on Australian streets would be catastrophic for these migrants.' The Visyboard workers resolution says: 'At Visyboard many of us are born overseas where governments use the army against the people. We came to Australia to be free. We support our union in opposing this terrible law. We call on the Labor Party to oppose the law. They are meant to represent the workers.'
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Interview: Slyly Selling the Silver In their recently published book Privatisation, Sell-off? or Sell out? (ABC Books), Bob and Betty Walker took a long hard look at the major government asset sales of the last decade. Here they tell Workers Online what they've learnt. Politics: Dysfunctional Society Noel Pearson looks at the plight of Aboriginal people through a prism of class and comes up with a challenging perspective on Aboriginal welfare, law and order and the state of our society. History: Money Power Should the People or the Banks Rule? Reserve Bank Governor McFarlane thinks he knows the answer. Eddie Ward was pretty strongly of the opposite view when the ALP introduced the Commonwealth Banking Legislation in 1945. International: Soccer Pro Tackles Nike Olympic sponsor Nike is under pressure over its human rights record in the run up to the Sydney Games. Economics: Globalony Frank Stillwell looks at the contradictory nature of the globalising economy and fears it is turning into a race to the bottom. Satire: IVF Debate: Federal Government Tells Lesbians: "Get Fucked" MELBOURNE, Monday: The Federal Court decision to allow single women and lesbians to use infertility treatment in Victoria has been attacked by the Federal Government, the Catholic Church and by pro-family community groups. Review: Confessions Of A Union Buster It's not a new tome but the threat for Australian Unions remains the same if not greater as when this book appeared five years ago.
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