Boaz: "... I was there at the G20 willing to assist police who were in fear for their lives, and now, in my own moment of need, they treat me like scum."

I reckon you were at the G20 looking for a bit of biffo, which is also why you attended the IR rally. Having found a suitable antagonist in the person of a woman, you then proceed to manhandle her under the guise of making a 'citizen's arrest', and you receive short shrift from the police, quite correctly. I hope you get arrested next time.

Did you wear your brown shirt?

" Rallies such as this are a big fake. They are just about Union power. "

Duh Boaz - it was a rally about Howard's IR laws. Who did you expect to find there - the business council? The IPA? The HR Nichols Society?

It's just as well we have obviously well-trained police to protect us from boofheaded vigilantes who attend peaceful demonstrations in order to provoke violent confrontations.

Well.. such criticism from Pericles and C.J. is to be expected, and welcomed. It all settles down into the mix of thoughts and adds to the reflection.

I think you blokes are missing a couple of very important points though.

1/ ALL workers who passed my sign, agreed with me. (except that woman)
2/ Some engaged me in passionate conversation and agreement.
3/ The woman was a 'bigot' in the very sense that Pericles suggested. To each worker I conversed with, and reasoned with, they saw the issue very clearly.

C.J. you can speculate till the cows come home, but let me ask this, what have you done, to make the plight of the 200 sacked Ajax workers a higher profile political issue ? I know I've done my bit, and you ? well.. you have criticized me.. well done. Did you offer any correction to my economic understanding ? nope...you just hope I get 'arrested next time'. Did you impart some valuable gem of fact or theory to actually contribute ? nope.. you just love giving it to me :) well.. as I said.. its welcome, but I'm hearing that voice of the social pharisee coming through a-gain.. "Thank you Lord that I'm not like that silly BOAZ"....

Protesting IR laws which enable employers to be more competitive is hardly adding to job security it can only be viewed as propping up Union power, thus it is a very appropriate venue to give a different perspective, at least to the manipulated workers who 'think' the rally was actually in their interests.

Perhaps this is where I take a leaf out of Irfans book and speak about "Armchair problem solvers" ?

Well Boaz, you've managed to switch the focus away from your poor behaviour.

>>what have you done, to make the plight of the 200 sacked Ajax workers a higher profile political issue ? I know I've done my bit<<

From you earlier post, this was your "bit".

>>I went to the IR laws demo in Melbourne with my own sign saying "BLAME CHINA" and underneath it had this "Tax slavery at our customs ports"<<

This may have been an expression of your views, but it was hardly a contribution to a debate on the draconian nature of the IR laws.

As an employer, you can use IR legislation to lower the cost of doing business sufficiently to offset the labour cost differential with China, and be competitive again. Or you can protest the legislation, featherbed your employees, and go out of business à la Ajax.

Your position is that the government should protect you from Chinese competition through the use of tariffs. What the government realises is that to do so would invite tariff retaliation on our exports.

It is still important to let the market decide which business is viable and which is not.

Ajax's erstwhile customers are presumably able to get their parts elsewhere, and more cheaply. In this situation, as you well know, the variables are straightforward: reduce your costs, or go out of business.

Protesting tariffs in this situation is meaningless. It would make as much sense for you to parade up and down outside Ford factories, exhorting them to increase their costs by paying the premium for Ajax products. Have you seen Ford's P&L recently? Think this would be a likely course of action for them?

For what it is worth, I dislike most aspects of Howard's IR legislation, particularly the additional freedom it gives to employers to avoid civic responsibilities, such as allowing staff to serve on juries, or releasing them for volunteer fire brigade work, without firing them or docking their pay.

But let's not confuse increased management freedom with tariff protection. Your banner was inappropriate, as was your presence at the rally.