John Howard made news recently by putting a couple of dull speeches up on YouTube, and Kevin Rudd has launched a big site to sells bumper stickers. As Mark has pointed out, these token efforts don’t really take the online plunge, they just move the same old campaign from talkback and letters pages to a new venue: “the Young Liberal and Young Labor junior apparatchiks have moved on from the traditional talkback phone trees to being alerted via email to post comments on MSM ‘blogs’ and vote in online polls”.
A new CFMEU initiative looks far more interesting as a campaign tool. The union has sponsored the production of a documentary about the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the Gestapo-like outfit that treats union members as if they were terrorists. The 35-minute program is being publicised via a YouTube channel, and when it launches on 14 August, the whole documentary will be available for download at the Constructing Fear website.
That in itself is an impressive idea — compelling content is far more attractive than putting the same old sound-bytes online — but what makes this particularly exciting is the plan to move the campaign offline and into people’s living rooms. According to the site, “We are encouraging community groups, unions, churches and anyone else who is interested to organise their own screenings of the film.” Would-be hosts are provided with a copy of the DVD, customisable promotional materials, and instructions for hosting a successful film night.
This model was successfully used to promote Robert Greenwald’s Outfoxed. The straight-to-video documentary was sold cheap to community groups who were encouraged to organise screenings — within five days, it had been shown at 3000 house parties. The tactic also kickstarted Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, which is now the top-grossing documentary release. And these audiences are engaged in the campaign in the longer term: “After the presentation, MoveOn.org asked the guests to sign up to do volunteer work. ‘It’s a great organizing tool,’ [Wes] Boyd said.”
I doubt that this documentary has the same broad appeal as either Fahrenheit 9/11 or Outfoxed. But if the CFMEU and the film-makers can get Constructing Fear out to construction workers, their families and friends, that is still tens of thousands of voters who will be given a good reason to join in the campaign against Howard, and given a real opportunity to do so.
It’s one thing to have people pass on your viral video, competing as it is with spam, forwarded jokes and chain letters; it’s quite another to give people — for free — a professional-quality documentary and the resources to show it to their friends. There’s a great deal of potential there for political campaigners. I’ll be watching the CFMEU’s experiment with great interest.
[Cross-posted to Solidarity.]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin’s_Law
“Godwin’s Law does not apply to discussions directly addressing genocide, propaganda, or other mainstays of the Nazi regime. Instead, it applies to inappropriate, inordinate, or hyperbolic comparisons of other situations (or one’s opponent).” Good link.
Ummm Nazi propaganda how apt for all of the above.Move to the top of the class Yobbo.I will send a copy of Goodwin’s Law to the Liberal Party campaign manager it could come in handy for the next load of “Workchoices Ads”.
People seem to struggle with Godwin’s Law: “Godwin’s Law itself can be abused, as a distraction or diversion, that fallaciously miscasts an opponent’s argument as hyperbole, especially if the comparisons made by the argument are actually appropriate.” If the head of the organisation accepts that it has Gestapo-like powers (did you click the link? No, thought not) then I reckon it’s fair to point that out.
Trevor,
It’s pretty outrageous that the unions have commissioned a documentary called ‘Constructing Fear’ when that documentary is about the ABCC. Isn’t such a title more apt to be used for a documentary about the unions’ public campaign against WorkChoices? The unions are now the real masters of the politics of fear in this country.
And Gaz, you’re right. Describing the ABCC as ‘Gestapo-like’ is not inappropriate, inordinate, or hyperbolic. Not sure what ‘Goodwin’s Law’ is, though. Yobbo linked to ‘Godwin’s Law’, which I’ve definitely heard of. Then again, Yobbo and I are probably not at the top of the class like you.
Anyway, is this a good time to announce that I am a ‘Young Liberal junior apparatchik’?
Cheers
BBB
“Anyway, is this a good time to announce that I am a ‘Young Liberal junior apparatchik’?”
And good for you,I’m sure you’ll go far in this great party.
Evolution of a lie:
- Reporter asks the new head of the ABCC a deliberately provocative question.
- Head of ABCC ignores the provocation and gives a reasonable answer.
- Union website cheerfully takes this question and response out of context.
- In this LP post, Trevor simply calls the ABCC ‘Gestapo-like’ and leaves it at that.
Yep, Trevor. I clicked on the links. Pretty low of you, I’ve got to say.
An interesting recent piece in the Herald Sun talking about what a wonderful thing the shake up of the building industry is:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20142048-25717,00.html
Admittedly the various unions involved in the construction industry are far from lilly-white helpless little peacenicks and there have been heaps of cases of unions abusing their power. However, a peek at the abcc site is quite sobering. Consider their statement on strikes. A strike is lawful if your employer has agreed to it in writing. Ahem:
Unlawful Industrial Action
Unlawful Industrial Action is generally action taken by employees or employers in the building industry that interrupts or restricts normal work. Most industrial action is unlawful. Severe penalties may be imposed on an individual or a body corporate, including a union, that is found by a court to have participated in unlawful industrial action. These penalties include fines of up to $22,000 for an individual and up to $110,000 for a body corporate.
Lawful, or “protected� industrial action occurs if you are negotiating a federal workplace agreement, and certain conditions have been met. The most important, being is that there is a secret ballot of the workers that are to be covered by the agreement.
Action by an employee is not industrial action if:
* the employer has agreed in writing before the action occurs; or
* there is an imminent risk to the employee’s health or safety and the employee was not directed to perform other work in a safe area.
http://www.abcc.gov.au/abcc/WhatYouShouldKnow/Workers/
Gaz,
Hmmm, now I am a little embarrassed. Re-reading your comment (ie properly), I may have misjudged you. My fault, if so. Or are we looking at each other from across a deep sarchasm?
Trevor,
Looked at that link. Why you thought the material there backed you up I’m not sure. It doesn’t even come close.
But back OT: these kinds of videos have the potential to be very effective. Where is the Liberal Party or ACCI/BCA equivalent? What are they doing? Workplace reform is one of the biggest issues going around, and the forces of light are where exactly? With Kevin07 and this kind of thing from the CFMEU, Teh Left is running rampant and making us neo-liberals look like a bunch of amateurs.
Cheers
BBB
Erm. . . or not so recent a story from the Herald as it seems. I thought I stumbled over that link on one of my rss readers - now I’m not sure where it came from. Sorry!
Where is the Liberal Party or ACCI/BCA equivalent?
Be careful what you wish for. The ACCI WorkChoices ad out now is a shocker and will damage your cause much more than help.
Hmmm, now I am a little embarrassed. Re-reading your comment (ie properly), I may have misjudged you. My fault, if so. Or are we looking at each other from across a deep sarchasm?
Hmm I don’t rightly know, My point was “Goodwins Law” is apt from both points of view.However I am a sixty year old Labor Party apperatchick,and the forces of light are at this moment, with us.
The so-called liberals and libertarians reveal their true colours as usual on the issue of “union power”. None seem bothered by the existence of a body with the permanent powers of a Royal Commission which overthrows the right to silence and the rules of evidence and which won’t even let people pick their own lawyer.
TimT, it’s ridiculous to say that John Lloyd “ignored the provocation”. He said, and I quote, ” Well, if they are used in the Gestapo type way, the commission will, as I say, use whatever powers it has available to it to respond to the cases which it is investigating in which it feels appropriate to institute proceedings.” If he disagreed with the characterisation, he could have said so. But he didn’t.
But this semantic argument is getting off the point that these powers are a disgrace. Removing the right to silence, secret interrogations, denying people the lawyer of their choice — these powers should be restricted to investigations into serious, organised crime, not industrial disputes. It’s a disgrace.
Haven’t seen that one, Amanda. Why is it going to be damaging?
Cheers
BBB
Well, I just wanted to add my opposition to the use of the term “Gestapo-like”. Totally distracts from the rest of the post.
At any rate would Ralph Fiennes look good in a Australian Building and Construction Commission uniform.
I think it’s a side issue, but it’s a reasonable metaphor for a body that proceeds in secret and accords people none of their usual legal rights when they haven’t even been charged with a crime.
It is on YouTube http://youtube.com/watch?v=3NatAQ1pHfM
I hardly think the sight of smug oldies getting dividend cheques is going to placate the fears people have about pay and conditions. I have to make lower wages so the already wealthy can get more? The ACTU couldn’t have done better. And parroting the “union bosses” phrase which Fed Minister shoehorn into every sentence is not earning them any credibility as an independent voice.
Because it looks like a bad powerpoint presentation, BBB. I can’t believe they forked over millions for it.
I saw bits of it on Lateline last night and the same thought occurred about the dividend cheques. The whole message of “corporate profits up” is just going to reinforce the (correct) view that WorkChoices is highly partial legislation designed to benefit a vested interest, and designed to prevent the benefits of prosperity and productivity from being fairly distributed.
Tim Dunlop has the choice quote from former Liberal hack Peter Hendy - it’s not about politics:
http://blogs.news.com.au/news/blogocracy/index.php/news/comments/its_workchoices_or_its_the_end_of_life_as_we_know_it#17947
Oh yeah, Amanda, it’s a shocker. I just saw it last night.
And then there’s the parade of big-business logos to finish. If the ACTU were smart they’d buy the rights and have it shown more often.
BBB, there’s no shame in admitting to being an apparatchik. Some of my best friends don’t care that I’m one. [Whistles:]
[cough: my worthless, puerile comment has been sent to the spam bin.]
That bit is so weird. If its so important they have to quote it on screen … they couldn’t find something actually scary to threaten us with?
“Don’t you people realise this will be SOMEWHAT INCONVENIENT FOR A SHORT WHILE to change???? Are you MAD?”
Thanks Amanda. No YouTube at work, unfortunately. I’ll have to wait until tonight. Your description of retirees receiving dividend cheques is filling me with a deep sense of dread, though. What is wrong with empahsising the employment effects? Aren’t there favourable and credible figures on full-time employment growth in small businesses that they can leverage?
Liam,
I disagree. It is with shame that I must admit to being a Young Liberal as a teenager. Am I off the hook if I also admit to resigning from the movement, having grown well and truly out of them, whilst still a teenager?
Cheers
BBB
It is also on the ACCI website, if that’s any more useful. http://www.acci.asn.au/
That’s not really emphasising the employment effects, though, BBB (and btw, more jobs were created in the year before WorkChoices came into effect if I recall correctly) more the corporate profits angle. As I was saying in my OLO piece on the economy, there’s much more consciousness now of a “two speed economy” whereby some benefit more from economic growth than others and this perception is in part an effect of WorkChoices - this is a terrible message in advertising terms which is just going to reinforce existing negatives.
Surely everyone can agree with that regardless of their partisan views?
While we’re confessing, it took me til I was 23 to stop being a Young Labor apparatchik! I moved on to being a left libertarian apparatchik for a few years afterwards though…
Amanda, do you find it as amusing as I do that the ACCI have an .asn domain? I suppose it is the bosses’ union.
No way. It’s like the line that insidious cult AA take towards drinkers: the sickness is inside you. For the rest of your life you’ll just be taking it one day at a time.
“Like trying to unscramble an egg”
That’s the real subtext in the business Workchoices ads: The old fait accompli.
What they’re really saying is: “If ya don’t like it, tough. It can’t be un-done. Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyaaaaah.”
That’ll go down well.
And one reason I stopped being a Young Labor apparatchik was my disappointment in the Goss Government. So I blame Kevin Rudd! Kevin89 - all his fault.
I think BBB is saying they shouldn’t be emphasising the dividends angle, but rather the employment angle.
Darlene
Ralph Fiennes is too skinny and has bad taste in tarts. I’ll see your Raiphe Faines and raise you a Sonny Bill Williams.
Having worked in the Construction Industry for better than 30yrs,and also being a union member for that time,I don,t have a problem with the CMFEU,Its a hard union in a tough industry,people die in the building game quite often caused by the Boss and pressure to complete the job.
I,m pretty sure they don,t in Liberal party offices or office buildings unless its a heart attack or they jump,the ABCC should go and the quicker the better,a bunch of failed cops,I know what thing were like and how much I got paid when I started and when I left I have also worked in other places and as a subbie,rather have award any time.
If Hendy and Co want to play the political game they cant complain if they get burnt, cause I know if I were Labour the people backing this would be very short on favours from me.
By that reasoning, you could describe the Qld Crime & Misconduct Commission, the ACCC and ASIC as Gestapo-like. All are empowered to question people in secret, under oath and with no privilege against self-incrimination. As a metaphor it is so diluted as to be meaningless.
Bad taste in tarts? You mean he doesn’t like a nice lemon one.
The trouble with a lot of Labor apparatchik is they expect too much from Labor sometimes. Mind you, Goss could’ve at least allowed the apparatchiks more time to celebrate in 89.
Heh!, Liam. Hadn’t clicked (first time I’ve visited this AM, I must say).
I’m all for them putting their strongest case, the adverserial system shaking out the truth and all that. It was a Grisham-esque build up, the prosecution had the joint in uproar, what would the defence pull out of the hat??? … and then Lionel Hutz walked in the court room.
The ACCI tv commercial actually tells us some interesting things. As others have pointed out, it is amateurish in both execution and strategy. It looks like it was put together by an economist.
That tells us ACCI could not attract enough funding to pay a good advertising agency, and thus that member organisations were reluctant to fund the campaign. This also means there won’t be funding to run the ad much, so it’s doubly useless.
It’s nothing more than a trophy ad, probably pushed through by one or two ideologues.
It’s instructive to compare this amateurish effort with the first class creative and effective work of those who represent Australia’s working people.
It is really is time for the dopes in suits to piss off.
Yes, the use of the Gestapo parallel provokes misdirection of discussion into unproductive areas.
As Bismarck has suggested, the coercive powers of the Australian Building and Construction Commission are thoroughly integrated into the mainstream of executive practice.
It would be UnAustralian to assert otherwise, and perhaps even tantamount to seditious.
PS, if the executive suspects on any grounds at all that you are seditious, you will become subject to a whole different regime of coercive executive powers.
If you don’t like it, you don’t deserve to leave it.
Instead you’ll be locked up.
Hahahahahhahahaha!!
Oh. You’re serious?
Bismarck, I’m not particularly comfortable with those powers in the hands of the CMC either - particularly when many of their investigations are politicised.
Question: How many Cfmeu/etu/etc officials faced or was convicted of charges arising ffom the findings of the Royal Commission?
A: None
1 idiot in Sydney, Sammy Manna, did commit perjury and spent 3 months in Silverwater for it as well.
$60 million, dozens of lawyers, phone taps, every disgruntled anti-union grubby subby in the country through the dock and Abbot didn’t get one scalp.
Piss weak, and this has been used as the justification for the new Gestapo.
How have they got away with it? I blame the labor affilated union leaderships with their lie low strategy. Get out your history books. Anti-union laws aren’t defeated in Parliament. What would Monty Miller think?
Their stratgey is largely discredited now as the ex-federal police won’t be going straight to Hungry Jacks.
Lastly, why did Terrence Cole get two massive politically sensitive Royal Commissions in a row? Just after he was named for the Construction Commission I was having a beer with one of Australia’s best loved ex-union officials who told me “don’t worry, they’ve got something on him.”
Amanda,
“I think BBB is saying they shouldn’t be emphasising the dividends angle, but rather the employment angle.”
That’s right. Sorry for the confusion, Mark.
Liam,
“No way. It’s like the line that insidious cult AA take towards drinkers: the sickness is inside you. For the rest of your life you’ll just be taking it one day at a time.”
Damn. Having to repeatedly announce ‘Hi, I’m BBB and I’m a Young Liberal’ is really going to fuxk with my social life.
Cheers
BBB
Rocky O’Rourke - the $60 mill was a good investment. Time lost to work place disputes had fallen to an all time low, in particular within the construction industry. The net benefit to the economy is vast multiples of that spent on the Royal Commission.
When the ABCC starts torturing and executing people, then you can call them Gestapo. Use of Nazi/Gestapo shows a poor understanding of history and a poor grasp of the english language.
There are very good reasons for avoiding lazy allusions to the nazis and this thread highlights some of them. I am at a loss as to why Socialist and Communist types always feel the need to invoke the Nazis. They have far more numerous and appropriate examples from the Communist twentieth century they could use.
Anna, I do think some Labor hacks expect the party to be this wonderfully progressive agent for change (incidentally I was a member of the ALP from 1998 to 2005). However, unlike the Greens, the ALP must attempt to win government, and thus can’t be all that some members want it be. I don’t think that’s such a big call. Rudd doesn’t particularly impress me, but I’ll be voting ALP in the lower house. I expect a Rudd Government to be more thoughtful and into social justice than the current mob (gee that’d be hard), but I don’t expect them to be incredibly progressive.
And don’t tell me you aren’t aware of disgruntled ALP members who spend a fair amount of time moaning about how the modern ALP is nothing like the old ALP (by which I think they mean the party is nothing like Gough).
Darlene
I would not hold out any hope for “social justice,” as there is no such thing.
Darlene, I think he would look much better than I imagine he would have, half dressed in a Qantas Hosties uniform just recently.