Chris is a labour law researcher, specialising in China and the right to strike. He spent 27 years in the SA union movement. Chris now lives in Canberra. More →
I add my support for the view that Rudd would have failed my ANU Introduction to Politics essay on the differences between the US Presidential and the Australian parliamentary political systems. Much academic literature explores the similarities and differences between the US/Australian/UK/European political systems. At the ANU, I was a sessional Politics tutor. Students debate [...]
Congratulations to Sharan Burrow on her election to head the global union movement 26 June, 2010 | Media Release Australian unions warmly congratulate ACTU President Sharan Burrow on her election as the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation. http://www.ituc-csi.org/second-ituc-world-congress.html Ms Burrow was elected to head the global union body at its Congress in [...]
The Australian Labor government has proposed a landmark mining ‘super profits’ tax, but resistance from a cashed-up mining industry is revealing the fragility of Australian democracy. This article considers the arguments around this tax debate in detail. By Tristan Ewins For the most part since its election in 2007, the Rudd Labor Australian government appeared [...]
ACTU: Jeff Lawrence ‘Australian Unions congratulate Julia Gillard on becoming Australia’s first woman Prime Minister. We will work closely with Julia Gillard as Prime Minister and are united in preventing a return to the Coalition and its disastrous WorkChoices policy. This election is important for working Australians and their families. If Tony Abbott and the [...]
On wednesday 23rd June, I attended the historic opening of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Embassy in Canberra, with my son Alex and Andy Alcock and Cathy Hepinstall who had come from Adelaide – Australia East Timor Friendship Association SA – amongst hundreds of activitists President Jose Ramos-Horta officially with humour and the seriousness of [...]
ACTU: Here’s the truth on mining: profits have grown by more than eight times wages Big mining companies have not been telling the Australian public the truth and should admit that they are making astronomical profits and can afford to pay more tax, say unions. A new national poll released today reveals that two-thirds (65%) [...]
Julia Gillard for PM! 10am. Wow. Women are dancing. Julia Gillard is very good against Abbott. Julia Gillard is able to prosecute the case against a return to the extreme Coaltion government. She cuts through on message. They say she is better with her staff. She is the mainstream ALP power operator. Forget any left [...]
“I lost my beautiful youngest daughter to suicide 3 years ago… She was not referred on to an appropriate service after suffering post-natal depression… She had 3 children whom she adored, and she had so much to live for. She said to me not long before she died, ‘Mum, I wish I had cancer, then [...]
