Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 12:02:28 +0100
From: Hugh Rodwell <m-14970-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se>
Subject: M-NEWS: Inflammatory court injunction


Forwarded from MUA-update. This is an example of what Tony H reported
another judge as rejecting:

"I can't serve an injunction against the world in general", said the judge.

But this one is trying!

Cheers,

Hugh

_____________________________


 Melbourne wharf injunction extended

                    Monday 20 April, 1998 (4:49pm AEST)
 
                  The Victorian Supreme Court has granted an injunction
                   restraining all members of the public, not just Maritime
Union of
                   Australia (MUA) members from obstructing Melbourne's
                   waterfront.

                   The decision was handed down by Justice Beach, after an
                   application was made by Patrick Stevedores.

                   The order prevents anyone interfering with access to
Patrick
                   Stevedore's premises at East Swanson dock and Webb dock.

                   Victorian Trades Hall secretary Leigh Hubbard says the
order will
                   be met with a strong reaction from the community and the
union
                   movement.

                   "This is the kind of order that is so broad as to be
ridiculous and
                   it brings I think the court itself into disrepute," he said.

                   "And that's not about disrespect to the judge. I think
it will be met
                   with a very strong reaction from the community and the
union
                   movement.

                   "I can't say more than that until I've looked at the
order. I must
                   say that if this is what Patrick's have to rely on, then
we as a
                   community, are in a very poor position," Mr Hubbard said.

                   Meanwhile, Victoria's Chief Commissioner, Neil Comrie,
says his
                   officers will not be pushed into using excessive force
to break up
                   the picket-lines at Melbourne's docks.

                   He says it is the aim of police to manage the dispute with
                   cooperation and goodwill.

                   Chief Commissioner Comrie says there is no political
pressure on
                   the force to take a stronger stand against protesters
blockading
                   Melbourne's docks.

                   "This is a very difficult and complex issue. It's one
that takes a lot
                   of thought," he said.

                   "We've been actually managing this situation here in
Victoria now
                   for several weeks with minimal levels of violence.

                   "In fact there's probably only been one episode where
there's
                   been any real violence."

                   The Victorian Farmers Federation is meeting to consider
taking
                   stronger action in the waterfront dispute.

                   The federation's Paul Bird says the organisation has
received
                   numerous calls from the rural community pledging their
support
                   and willingness to break the picket line at East Swanson
dock.

                   He says farmers own about one-quarter of the State's
truck fleet,
                   so the action would be easily organised.

                   A decision is expected tomorrow morning.
 

                   Toyota

                   The Toyota Motor Corporation says the prospect of standing
                   down more than 2,000 workers has been averted until next
week
                   at least.

                   It says the ANL ship containing car parts was diverted
to a P&O
                   terminal on Saturday.

                   Toyota spokesman Patrick Neville says the company has
enough
                   components to last until early next week, but cannot
guarantee
                   jobs beyond that time.
 

                   Fremantle

                   The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) says
farmers are
                   ready to cross the picket lines at Fremantle to shift
farm supplies.

                   Association vice president Jim Thom says it is waiting
for a
                   guarantee from senior Government Ministers that those
crossing
                   the picket lines will be offered protection.
 

                   Sydney

                   The MUA has allowed 11 trucks to cross the picket line at
                   Darling Harbour to pick up containers of medical supplies.

                   Union spokesman Mick Doleman says the exemption was based
                   on humanitarian grounds.

                   "This was a major supplier of syringes and other medical
                   equipment throughout Australia from a Japanese company and
                   there was an urgent request to the union that these
supplies were
                   required and on humanitarian grounds they were granted," he
                   said.Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii;
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