91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳

By Jennifer Thompson

Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown has raised the alarm over the so-called exemptions for environmental and consumer actions from being defined as "illegal" under the Coalition-Democrat amendments to the Workplace Relations Bill.

The bill and amendments, currently being debated in the Senate, would make it "virtually impossible" for community groups and unions to protest effectively for Aboriginal land rights, other human rights, the environment, social justice and peace", said Brown.

Citing the opinion of Barrister Gary Corr, and information from the Parliamentary Research Service, Brown said that actions falling into the "broad" definition of a secondary boycott would attract fines of up to $750,000. This would, said Brown, in effect ban actions such as:

• unions blocking the handling of goods on the waterfront — for whatever reason, including bans on loading uranium or woodchips, unloading rainforest timbers or actions to improve work conditions and win unpaid wages on flag-of-convenience "ships of shame";
  
  • Aboriginal groups blocking mining activities in defence of a sacred site;
    
    • human rights groups physically blocking the sale of arms to Indonesia because of human rights abuses in East Timor; and
      
      • the "green bans" of the '60s and '70s in Sydney.

      "The Workplace Relations Bill in effect prevents any secondary boycotts, except those which are ineffective. It also renders environmental groups and unions open to destruction by means of selective use of litigation by governments or large corporations", said Corr. His comments confirmed that the most effective form of protest — involving industrial action — will be outlawed.

      Explaining how the broadly defined illegality of secondary boycotts would affect protest actions, Brown said that the prohibition covered "virtually all actions where two or more people acted together to inhibit the flow of goods or services to a business for industrial, anti-competitive or civil purposes".

      The Democrats had claimed that secondary boycotts "whose dominant purpose is environmental or consumer protection" would be exempt, he said, adding that the exemption did not apply to solidarity outside that narrow definition. Nor, Brown said, did it apply to actions that are "or involve" industrial action, "even if it aims to protect the environment or consumers".

      Brown said those parts of the bill would be discussed in the Senate from November 18, and urged community and workers' groups to press the Democrats to vote against "these draconian laws". He reaffirmed the Greens' opposition to the entire bill, and their intention to delete or amend those 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳. n