
Issue No 89		23 March 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Tool Shed

Stephen Mayne: Loose Cannon

We are big fans of Crikey and the work of its founder Stephen Mayne in holding corporate Australia to account. But in setting up a new party to contest, among other things, union elections, this self-styled Mr Smith has exposed over shot the mark.

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The Mayne story is proof that loose cannons don't just come from the lunar Left. Raised by the Melbourne Establishment, Mayne strode through a series of Silver Spoon jobs to the esteemed position of adviser to the loosest cannon of them all, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett..

But having scaled the heights, Mayne realized the view was less than pure and often downright grubby, His public repudiation of Kennett, subsequent bid to stand against him as an independent and then web assault of Jeffed-com during the campaign ensured his ties with the Tories were permanently severed.

Mayne then moved to Sydney, got the gig as Business Editor at the Daily Telegraph where he embarked on an inspired crusade that netted him a deserved Walkely. He brought up small quantities of shares in major companies, then used his right as a shareholder to scrutinize CEOs and directors from the floor at AGMs.

Crikey has been a breath of fresh air for those of us watching the corporate takeover of Australia with bemused detachment. He has the knowledge, networks and courage to make the top end of town squirm and has built a fledging media empire around the project. In charting the complex web of corporate directorships Mayne is fulfilling a significant public service and can teach the trade union movement a lot.

But Mayne wants more. This week he added to his ever-expanding scrapbook of media clippings with the announcement he's establishing his own political party. The broad philosophy is free enterprise, free speech and consumer and shareholder rights. If anything, it sounds to me like the Australia Party that another celebrated self-promoter, Singo, set up in 1970s. Innocent enough, I hear you say?.

But Mayne goes further: "We will be the only political party in Australia that contests elections in trade unions, public companies, mutuals and sporting clubs, as well as local, state and federal governments," he trumpets.

Trade unions? This lapsed Tory wants to not only take over corporate Australia, he wants to have a go at the trade union movement as well. This is the behavoiour of a Tool on two levels.

First it betrays his lack of understanding about the movement. Mayne approaches the trade union movement as though it is moribund, still locked into the Accord structures. He has no appreciation at the efforts to reactivate trade unionism at the grass roots to which most , if not all, trade unions are now diverting more and more attention. Indeed, it is only through this type of cultural regeneration that the changes Mayne would like to see happen would be possible.

Secondly, top level challenges will be counter-productive. Even presuming Mayne got a stable of credible candidates around him, the impact of their tilt at power would be negative. The external challenge would inevitably force the current leadership to close ranks and fight back, forcing them to divert attention and resources from rebuilding delegate structures to engage in the sort of power struggles which push the interests of rank and file members to the periphery. Reform of trade unions will not come through terrorist tactics - all that will occur is the barricades will be closed and the movement will continue to shrink.

Mayne's na�ve call for rank and filers to join him in a grassroots crusade is misguided and counterproductive if his real goal is to make the trade union movement more open and accountable. This takes engagement, understanding, identification with the trade union movement. In throwing bombs from the sidelines, Mayne not only does himself a disservice, he undermines the good work he is doing as a shareholder activist.

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  Issue 89 contents

Interview: Paddy Takes the Helm
Irish, internationalist, republican, socialist & seafarer - Paddy Crumlin intends taking the old traditions of the labour left into the 21st century, the community and cyberspace.

Unions: Breaking the Mould
Mark Hearn looks at how women union delegates are helping to change the culture in the traditionally male bastion of glassworking.

Legal: Washing Their Hands
Mark Morey outlines how Liberal neglect of the working visa system has led to exploitation of guest workers.

International: Violence Betrays Shangri-La
Shangri-La hotel union members carrying a coffin marked Robert Kuok have been assaulted and beaten by police in Jakarta.

Economics: Corporations: Different Than You and Me
Corporations are fundamentally different than you and me. That's a simple truth that Big Business leaders desperately hope the public will not perceive.

History: The Steel Octopus
Be prepared for a flood of Nostalgia from the media about the �Big Australian�, as it prepares to flee our shores and finally internationalise its digging operations. Workers won�t forget BHP�s less than worker friendly past and present (and no doubt it�s future).

Review: Mean Nation
John Allen charts the fall and fall of philanthropy in Australian society.

Satire: Ryan 'A Big Wake-Up Call For Me': Beazley
The narrow victory to Labor in the Ryan by-election has delivered a big slap in the face to Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley.

» Abbott and �Drinking Buddy� Under Microscope

» Working Visas: Ruddock Sells Dump to Abbott

» Tourist Guides Bussed In

» Fair Wear Holds Breath as Carr Celebrates

» Labor to Restore Public Sector�s Dignity

» Its Time for Carr to Act on Safey on Building Sites

» Bread Maker Slices Workforce

» Workers Show Grace Under Pressure

» Engineers Win BHP Redundancy Case

» Transport Drug Pushers Not Charged

» Training Body Needs $150 Million to Cope with Growth

» HIH Urged To Safeguard Employee Entitlements

» Carr Proposal For Public Schools Flawed

» Human Smirk Returns to Spiritual Home

» McGauchie Appointment Draws MUA Fire

» Bove Loses McDonald's Raid Appeal

» James Hardie Called to Account

» Australasian Union Organising Conference

» Activist Notebook