NINEMSN and AAP May 29, 1999 http://news.ninemsn.com.au/01_national/story_692.asp Legal blunder gives Reith room AAP -- A legal blunder by union solicitors has given federal Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith some breathing space in his courtroom battle over Melbourne's Federation Square. Law firm Maurice Blackburn spent an embarrassing day in the Federal Court yesterday, where Justice Shane Marshall told them to file the case properly so it could be heard again next week. The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) wants to see Mr Reith and Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett each fined up to $2,000 for breaching the act they have come to hate - the federal Workplace Relations Act. Similar action has been taken by the Construction, Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) against Employment Advocate Jonathan (Jonathan) Hamberger. Justice Marshall juggled both cases today, hearing argument from the unions the three breached the act by seeking to overturn a working conditions agreement between workers and Multiplex, the developer of Melbourne's Federation Square project. But, in a twist of irony, it was revealed during a cross-examination of ETU state secretary Dean Mighell a fresh agreement was in the process of being signed - an event seized on by Mr Kennett's lawyer, Dr Chris Jessup. "How can there be any coercion when a fresh agreement is being freely signed by other unions?" he asked. Mr Mighell replied he had not signed the fresh agreement and would not. Justice Marshall ruled that today's hearing against Mr Reith could not proceed because essential documents had not been properly filed, and it will now go ahead on Tuesday. Major Melbourne union legal firm Maurice Blackburn was forced to file fresh papers during the lunch break after Mr Reith's lawyer - former solicitor general Dr Gavan Griffith, QC - argued the minister had been denied natural justice. ************************************************************************* This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
