Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

The 15 year old who had WorkChoices booklets sent in bulk to phony organisations had his protest half right.

Sending the booklets to amusing-sounding phony organisations was funny. It showed how few checks there are in the propaganda campaign the government has wasted our money on. However, sending 5000 was itself a waste of our taxes where the same effect could have been achieved with 1 booklet per phony group instead of 99.

Alan Curran, I am also capable of doing nasty things to websites and I am a good bit older than 15.

You don't even need the Web to do it. During the anti-conscription campaign in the 70s, students filled in thousands of fake conscription forms, registering among other things their grandfathers and the family pets. Non-violent, no loss to the students and a big slowdown in the bureaucratic process that sent young men without the vote to die in yet another US war.

This boy has seen far more clearly than obviously you have the damage the Howard IR laws will do to his working future, so who is the idiot now?

No doubt his parents would firstly have had the benefits of the almost 100 year old Conciliation and Arbitration Act and the genuine Hawke-Keating reforms, and secondly have had a much more safe and secure working life than your Prime Minister is going to produce for this boy's generation.

This lad is an idiot, he will make a great "Union Thug" when he grows up.
If he can do that to a government site can you imagine the damage he could do to any website at the behest of Burrows and Combet. I shall certainly watch out for him.

Terrence Ed.: Alan, I think I know who you are referring too, other readers may not. Please refer to the subject of your argument in future posts.

This lad is my Hero of the Day. Who says that young people are not interested in politics?

Regarding the "IR changes 'create US-style poor'" comment.

Maybe we should try the French model instead and go for French style poor. The US doesn't have 23% youth unemployment and 10% overall. The US hasn't had nation wide riots caused by a bored, excluded and unemployed poor underclass.

The IR reforms might well be heading towards the US model, I certainly prefer it to France's (and other Euro nations like Germany) over-regulation.

Alan Curran, I know a former builders labourer by the name of Jack Mundey who really kickstarted the conservation and Green movement in this country.

And now the builders have joined up with the miners to form the CFMEU, this union now protects a number of family members involved in what is still one of the most hazardous industries in the country.

I know who I would look to in protecting my rights at work. Certainly not your Government.

Dee Bayliss, you are scaremongering regarding the IR Reforms.
All the IR is going to do is to take away the power of the unions, a power they have misused on many occasions - especially in the Building Industry.

My union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, is involved with rallies and meetings in the cities, suburban and rural areas throughout the country tomorrow. They're not exclusive, so if you don't have a union but feel being a Webdiarist is in the neighbourhood of AJA membership, go hang out with this mob in your region [the Smithton TAB is my bet for a good time].

Alliance Alert:
National Day Of Community Protest - Tuesday, November 15

Tomorrow morning workers across Australia will protest the proposed changes to workplace laws and show the federal government that their rights at work are worth fighting for. A national stop work meeting will be broadcast by Sky Channel to venues in each state and rallies will follow in capital cities. The Alliance encourages all members who can to come along with family and friends. It is important that we fight these radical changes to our working lives together - in big numbers. The following information is for members who would like to join the Alliance contingent.

Sydney - The Alliance group will gather in Martin Place outside the Channel 7 studios from 8am. Look for Alliance flags. After the hook-up we will march to Chifley Square then all members are invited back to the Alliance office, 245 Chalmers St Redfern, for a BBQ. Inquiries, contact Nicole on 0425 315 897. For other NSW venues, visit www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/get_involved/nsw_venues.html

Canberra - Alliance members can gather at Thoroughbred Park (ACT Racecourse) Randwick Road, Mitchell, at 8.30am sharp. Plenty of free parking, plus buses will also be coming from town centres - for bus details check with the Alliance office - 6273 2528 or Unions ACT- 6247 7844. Look out for the "Alliance logo" signs.

Melbourne - Alliance members will be meeting in Federation Square from 8.30am. We will be positioned at the back of the square, near the Charmaines Ice cream shop. Look out for the black and white balloons with the Alliance logo. At the end of the rally all Alliance members will get together in Exhibition Gardens. For suburban and regional venues see www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/get_involved/vic_venues.html

Perth - Alliance members will assemble on the river side of the Perth Concert Hall forecourt, 5 St Georges Terrace, Perth, from 11am before moving as a group at 11:30am to The Esplanade rally, which starts at noon. For other WA venues, visit www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/get_involved/wa_venues.html

Tasmania - Alliance members can gather at 8.30am at the following venues:

Hobart -
Princes Wharf, Salamanca
Glenorchy Football Clubrooms

Launceston -
TRC Hotel
Mowbray Hotel
Kings Meadows Hotel

North-West Coast -
Elimatta Hotel, Devonport
Lighthouse Hotel Ulverstone
Burnie RSL
Wynyard Ex-services Club
Smithton TAB

Adelaide - Alliance members should meet in Elder Park, on the Adelaide Festival Centre side from 7.45am. Breakfast will be available from 7am. Look for Alliance banners. For other SA venues, visit www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/get_involved/venues_sa.html

Northern Territory - The venue for the national hook-up is the Turf Club - Fannie Bay, Darwin. Other Northern Territory venues: RSL Club - Schwarz Crescent, Alice Springs, Katherine Club - O'Shea Tce, Katherine, and G3 Workers Camp - Nhulunbuy. The broadcast on Sky will commence at 8.30am.

Brisbane - The Alliance group will gather at Southbank - South Brisbane - the Northern Entrance to the Cultural Forecourt at 8.15am. For members outside of Brisbane, go to the QLD Council of Unions web page for regional venues www.qcu.asn.au/5205.html

Dear Margo, Kerrie, Hamish & Webdiarists,

Currently in Queen st Mall in Bunker internet cafe.

Just returned from Brisbane March. Speakers started at O8.45 am (Qld time). Speakers were Peter Beattie, Kim Beazley, Grace Grace, and Tommy Raudonikus (former football player/coach).

Beazley reaffirmed his vow to tear up the 'work choices' legislation upon winning power, saying that Queensland was the key to winning govt at next election.

Grace Grace and Tommy Raudonikus gave paticularly strong stirring speeches. The television hook-up with Melbourne was very good. Greg Combet was particularly effective in presenting how the so called 'work choices' would diminish, pay, conditions and relationships at work!
Church leaders, an IR Lawyer, veteran workers and Bob Hawke clearly explained the need to fight these changes.

The assembly of workers, men women and children including me then marched around the block to South Brisbane (estimated at 30,000 approx) to present letter/petition to Qlds Senators Ron Boswell and Barnaby Joyce at National party HQ.

Very hot and muggy today in Brisssy.

"If he can do that to a government site can you imagine the damage he could do to any website..."

So speaketh the "Cuuran-stien" What pray tell did the lad do to the "website"? Far as I can tell he availed himself of the opportunity to procure 99 copies of a booklet he describes as "full of comforting pictures and not much else" (702 radio yesterday). From the way the hyperventilating Alan Curran is carrying on you'd think he'd infected it with the dreaded "union reds under the beds worm" and sent the department's computers out "on the grass."

Yes, we'd best watch out for this lad: fancy having the temerity to order – legally – 99 copies of a booklet from an incompetent department only too willing to get as many about as possible.

I'd suggest a bex, a cup of tea and a good lie down Alan Hyperbole Curran.

Maybe there's a bonus for the largest amount dispatched?

"If he can do that to a government site can you imagine the damage he could do to any website at the behest of Burrows and Combet. I shall certainly watch out for him."

Allan, you make it sound like he hacked into their computers and fed them a virus. He simply exploited the Govt thoughtlessness.

What a credit to his parents and teachers this young man is - they must be very proud.