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Unravel

PRESENTS β€” Conspiracy? War on the waterfront

Unravel

ABC listen

True Crime, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.7 β€’ 898 Ratings

πŸ—“οΈ 11 March 2025

⏱️ 3 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On 7 April 1998 Australians woke up to the startling news that dogs and security guards in balaclavas were invading the docks around the country, locking out workers.

A volatile mix of forces led up to this dramatic moment β€” a government determined to bring about change on the waterfront, an employer desperate as its share price tanked and a union with a reputation for fighting hard for its members.

In this ABC Rewind investigation into the Patricks waterfront dispute Jan Fran tells a story of high drama and political intrigue, a complex web of lies, double dealings, high-stakes leaks and guns. It takes us from Queensland's Ettamogah pub to the ports of Dubai, from low-rent motel rooms, to the highest court in the land. And all the way to the Prime Minister.

Transcript

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0:00.0

ABC Listen, podcasts, radio, news, music and more.

0:08.4

I'm going to go to work.

0:14.5

Let me in.

0:15.4

I woke up this morning and I thought what country am I?

0:20.9

No way for me. I woke up this morning and I thought, what country am I in?

0:33.1

It's a story you think you know, a story that Australians woke up to on the 8th of April 1998.

0:38.3

I am terrified for Australia and what might be about to happen.

0:43.4

Dogs and security guards in balaclavas storming docks around the country.

0:47.0

And the bloke just said to me, you kick that dog, Mike?

0:48.7

It'll kill you. But this is actually a story of political intrigue.

0:52.8

It's a part of Australia's political history that is just so bizarre.

0:57.6

Of double dealings, deep throats and deception.

1:01.3

I think he knew a great deal more and he deliberately misled us.

1:07.8

It's a story of an employer desperate as its share price tanks.

1:11.6

Well, sometimes to achieve change, you can't always be nice.

1:16.6

A union with a reputation for fighting hard.

1:20.6

It was a standoff and they eventually had to retreat because they weren't getting past us.

1:25.6

And a government determined to reform

1:29.0

the waterfront. I remember saying at the time, I'm like a dog at a bone. Join us as we go from

1:35.2

Queensland's Edomogah Pub to the ports of Dubai, from low-rent motel rooms to the highest court in

1:42.0

the land and all the way to the Prime Minister.

1:45.0

When I asked him, he's behind all of this. He said, well, how high do you want to go?

...

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