The latest construction industry productivity report by Econ Tech has been leaked before its due release. The Australian who ran the story on their front page says the report raises further questions about Kevin Rudd’s IR policy. According to the results of the study, which was commissioned by The Australian Building and Construction Commission, the demise of militant unionism and the resulting industrial peace has led to productivity jumping a remarkable 9.4% and boosted the economy by $15 billion. But the Construction Forestry, Mining and Energy Union says the report appears to be based on false premises and the timing of the report’s leak confirms its design to assist John Howard’s election campaign in the lead up to the election. The report also was leaked on the eve of Kevin Rudd’s housing summit in Canberra. The Wire spoke to David Noonan from the CFMEU to find out more.

The Federal Government announced this week it will abolish its Community Development Employment Programs (CDEP) in all Northern Territory communities. It says the CDEP scheme will be replaced by ‘real jobs’ and training programmes. This announcement is a major backflip on another it made earlier this year, when it said it the CDEP scheme would only be axed in urban and major regional areas. Up to 8000 people in Austarlia’s most remote communities will lose their only source of employment from October 1. The director of the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy at ANU, Professor Jon Altman condemns the move and predicts the Northern territory’s unemployment rate will skyrocket to at least 50 per cent - leaving one in two people unemployed. The Wire also spoke to Amoonguna Cr Richard Lesiak and Northern Territory Assistant Indigenous Affairs Minister, Elliot McAdam.

The one big thing going for the troubled country of East Timor is that it sits on billions of dollars worth of oil. It’s a fact that the Australian government and the oil companies have never lost sight of. Since independence the fledgling country has had to play hard ball with Australia to make sure it gets its fair share of that wealth. Paul Cleary was an insider on that bargaining process – he worked on behalf of the World Bank as an advisor to the Timorese government during the oil treaty negotiations. His book Shakedown is tellingly subtitled “Australia’s Grab for Timor’s oil” He says that when East Timor’s fortunes began to change in the late nineties politicians and oil companies were quick to make a move…

Senate candidates in each election invariably range from the overbearing and parochial one issue alternatives… to the laid back ‘she’ll be right’ political hopefuls. LACHLAN CONNOR well and truly fits into the latter description. As an independent candidate he is in many ways appealing to those fostering A-political views and at the same time placing a satirical spin on his entire campaign…As part of the Wire’s commitment to bringing you the voice of the lesser known candidate’s for the forthcoming election DAN HAMILTON spoke to LACHLAN CONNOR and asked him why he is running as a senate candidate in Victoria.