But let’s remember that the ABCC is the end result of a political stunt. the Cole Royal Commission found far more bad behaviour on the developers and employers side than on the workers side.

It’s also pertinetnt to ask what percentage of the cost of a high-rise CBD building is litigation. I understand it’s about half. If we really wanted to clean up the industry we’d look at this.

Liz 45 you delightful nutcase, you are even further left than me and that’s saying something. I wish there were more like you.

More recently, I watched the construction of the Perth to Mandurah rail-line and the occurences of ‘blue-flu’ and other acts of industrial bastardry from the unions contribute toward a massive cost overrun on the project.

Don’t get me wrong, I also saw the horror stories and horrible AWAs from WorkChoices with the job I had at that time. It would be very naive to suggest that employers are all saints irrespective of whether they are in retail, construction, hospitality, government etc. It would also be extremely naive to ignore the findings of the Cole Royal Commission.

I make no excuses for either the CFMEU or the building industry employers. The entire industry needed to pull its socks up!

I’d like the new IR laws to go further in the workers’ favour, and I’m certainly against the “Stasi….ABCC” What a disgrace that is. People can be jailed for refusing to answer questions; jailed for telling their partner where they’ve been and what transpired etc. This from an Opposition calling Rudd a ‘dictator from Mao etc’?Next they’ll be telling us what a great democracy we have, and how we’re the leader in human rights around the world, blah blah! Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence, and what happens at the barbeque has nought to do with the boss, or the ‘thought police’ either for that matter? There’s some pretty horrible stories on the CFMEU web site.

I’ve heard some terrible stories via WorstChoices, particularly among the lower paid people; young and inexperienced people, and people just sacked for no reason, except to change the workforce to casual, without proper pay and conditions. WorstChoices brought out those disgraceful employers who’d prefer we all worked for nothing or close to it. I remeber Gerry Harvey’s push for a two tier wage system - the lower one for foreign workers? Great stuff Gerry, he’d be at it again. I thought it was dead and buried. Perhaps we need a different method of paying politicians - we could start with Wilson Tuckey, who informed us all, that his maiden speech(1981?) was on IR, and against penalty rates etc. What does he do, apart from taking up space in the Parliament? Not much! He should take a pay cut?

Turnbull will keep on being Turnbull. Outsiders will think that he lacks control and insiders will continue to undermine him, both accidentally (Hockey) or intentionally (no names needed).

Those on the Right simply have not agreed which course to set, and presumably will continue in this mode until they realise collectively that there is an election on, ie in about a year’s time, by which time any policy will be better than none at all.

Watch the frightened backbenchers of both sides as they approach the next election, those for whom re-election is by no means guaranteed. There’s nothing like the threat of the sack to loosen a politician’s lips.

Insiders yesterday suggested the ALP Govt ‘believe/know’ they have Turnbull’s measure.

What I seemed to notice in the clip of PM Rudd with Ali Moore on 7.30 late last week, with Rudd in furrowed brow mode - a dangerous political posture a bit like Jed Bartlett with hands in pocket, setting a course.

We shall see. ‘Glasses’ Grattan earlier today seems to assume a double dissolution on a $2B health shortfall is not really a goer for some procedural reasons. But what if the PM’s office really leans into it, the way the polity have the NSW ALP totally off balance this week despite ostensible 4 year terms to 2011.

I wonder.