he National Farmers Federation says another 20,000 pickers are needed to harvest Australia's crops. Growers complain of fruit rotting on the ground. Backpackers and others are heading to farms on the promise of abundant work, only to find the promises are often empty and it costs them more in rent than they can earn.

see comments: http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/35003-Victorias-Borderline-Backpackers

Reporter, Brendan King. AUDIO http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/2010/2902697.htm

Also - awaiting podcast - community radio station 3CR industrial show STICK TOGETHER this morning had interview with Mohave Desert Borax miners strike organiser from ILWU about the battle with Rio Tinto. International solidarity helped win the dispute.

see http://www.boraxminers.com/

Second part of the show interviewed a fellow from UNITE (retail and service industry union network) about international students exploited and underpaid at 7-Eleven store in Geelong http://7elevenworkers.wordpress.com/

AUDIO http://www.3cr.org.au/sticktogether

midday 1pm live on 3CR www.3cr.org.au the Tunnerminawait and Maulboyheener commemoration from Bowen lane outside RMIT today Jan 20th 2010

THE OTHER - REAL - CLANCY

by Mungo MacCallum (based on Clancy of the Overflow poem)

He was poisoning the water when he chanced upon a slaughter So he joined in patriotically to massacre and rape And he sees the vision splendid of the native problem ended And a land made safe for cattle from Tasmania to the cape

In my genocidal fancy visions come to me of Clancy With a Gin across his saddle and her children in pursuit As he leaves behind their crying he tots up the dead and dying As he calculates his bounty and gets ready for a root

With commendable persistence Clancy follows the resistance And you’ll find him in the rearguard with the priests and their Te Deums While the troopers do the shooting Clancy rides behind them looting

There’s tjuringas for collectors and some heads for the museums And when he meets Jacky Clancy sometimes offers baccy And many other presents to improve the shining hour When his cobbers call him silly he just smiles and boils his billy

Another Liberal Party bails out yet more Corporate Crims - this time the Reid's James Hardie Asbestos scammers. Great to know the wage slave victims will get some of their stolen $ back as compo but as usual the Captians of Industry continue to "free-trade" overseas, geeting away with "blue murder"...