The Last Word for The Workplace Review (Autumn 2020)

plague;(n)any contagious disease that spreads rapidly and kills people;an unusually large number of insects or animals infesting a place and causing damage;a curse.

Our crazy dreadful 21st Century times are not unknown in human history. The Bible’s Book of Exodus is replete with plagues sent against the Egyptians, poisoning of the waters of the River Nile with blood; a plague of frogs; a plague of gnats; a plague of flies and the plague of boils to name a few as punishment sent from God. In the early 1600s plague closed the playhouses in England including Shakepeare’s Globe Theatre. Shakespeare was no doubt drawing on his experience with the plague to write in Romeo and Juliet the dying Mercutio’s damning curse,” A Plague on both your Houses”. [...] Continue Reading…

This case concerns an applicant, Dr David Moffet, a registered dentist whom operated a dental practice in Parramatta between 1987 and 2007. The respondent, Dental Corporation Pty Ltd, bought that dental practice and executed agreements with the applicant that were: [...] Continue Reading…

ring rust (n) (20th century) a collective noun; a colloquial expression from the sport of boxing to describe a boxer who has not had a fight for many months.

The sport of boxing has supplied many expressions which have wider application. Examples being,’throw the towel in’, ’on the ropes’ and ‘down for the count’. A boxer with ‘ring rust’ is at acute vulnerability the next time he or she steps into the ring for a fight. The most challenging time is the first few rounds of the bout. I feel the same applies to a barrister after a long holiday and the first serious case back in court. Like boxing successful litigation requires you to have good reflexes and to be ‘on your toes’. As I get older the ‘ring rust’ after the summer holidays seems more debilitating. [...] Continue Reading…

The purpose in providing a history of wage setting in Australia relates to understanding the context and special role played by the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT) when in accordance with its statutory powers it determines military remuneration in Australia. Last year at this induction training day I delivered a paper entitled The King’s Shilling, Military Industrial Relations in Australia. That paper has been published in Thompson Reuters quarterly journal, Workplace Review.
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Do we need to read about Kevin?

Whether Rudd is larger than life may be arguable. It is indisputable that volume one is a very large book. In fact, when volume two is released Rudd will still be a relatively young man with many more adventures ahead.

The title of Kevin Rudd’s book should be a warning to would-be readers. This is volume one of Rudd’s autobiography. It takes us from his birth to his election as Prime Minister in 2007. Volume two is nearing completion.
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