Workers First has uncovered what we believe to be a number of Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBA) in which some unions have managed to insert clauses which falsely lead covered workers to believe that they MUST pay into the income protection policy within that union negotiated EBA. Further to that are the infrequent clauses which state that only the union can select which income protection insurance provider can be used. Trust in the union movement is dying, if not already dead and buried for so many of us, because of the kind of clauses in dodgy EBA which have been negotiated by the equally dodgy unions. Workers First is presently gathering evidence to assist with the development of a cl

Beating drums can be very entertaining, particularly so if you’re a music enthusiast, perhaps not so entertaining is someone beating drums in a negotiation meeting to get an outcome for a worker. Beating drums and blowing the perverbial whistle (not in the crime or corruption informant sense) have become the hallmarks of union represenatation in todays world, unfortunately this is an old and outdated method of advocacy and very rarely results in good or sustainable outcomes for workers. In reality, good and sustainable outcomes for workers are far more likely through strong advocacy supported my material facts to support a business case which one might anticipate as pursuasive over the boss

Throughout our lives, we often have moments of self doubt and even loathing. A clarifying moment in your lifetime could be the moment your investment in a relationship is negated by the actions of another party, causing you to look inward and question your own values and moral ethics. A good friend of mine Tony Green once told me about the man in the mirror, and the need for you to be happy with the man in the mirror and no-one else in your moral and ethical mind and person. This is a standard I have personally and steadfastly embraced for many years and as I reflect on the countless years wasted in terms of invested relationships with people, it occurs to me that I am not alone. Many may we

One of the issues which confront women who have been victims of violence, is their capacity and ability to contribute to the decision to commence and seek a remedy via civil or criminal proceedings. We know that domestic violence in all its forms is designed to dliever disempowerment of both women and men, whereas in the past the courts have been inclined to focus only on the issues confronting women. It is true that the main perpetrators of domestic violence are in fact men, and that the victims are usually their female spouses,. However, as I mentioned earlier, in todays world the reportable instances of domestic violence in the gay and lesbian communities are rising, as are the instances

Workers First is expanding again and we are presently looking for experienced Industrial Advocates and Investigators. If you have experience in Human Resources or Industrial and Workplace Law, we invite you to send your resume’ and brief covering letter expressing your interest to danielle.newman@workersfirst.com.au We are scheduled to bring on new positions from mid to late March and would like to start the conversations with potential candidates now.

Shine Lawyers Ann Street Brisbane office was the scene of an exciting first meeting between Brian Newman and the representative from Human Rights Watch. Kriti Sharma was the author of a report recently published concerning the incarceration of people with disabilities in Australian Prisons. There were several confronting findings in the report, not all of which Brian Newman agrees with, but none the less, it is a report that should be read with interest and concern for the state of affairs generally in our justice system. Brian Newman said "it's a tough ask to get Prison Officers behind this kind of report without investing time in getting to know the real stories behind the hype peddled by

Family Law Investigations is a strong point of Brian Newman's personal credentials. Brian Newman himself has been involved in proceedings before this challenging jurisdiction and it with a great appreciation of those very challenges that ensures Brian Newman maintains his own compassion for people in a similar circumstance. Brian Newman prides himself and the efforts of his teams of investigators and advocates on delivering realistic outcomes for client, with the overarching knowledge that the courts will always consider the best interests of children above those of an adult party to a proceedings. I fyou have a Family Law matter you would like some assistance with, please give us a call on

They say in the business of marketing, nothing is as important as the integrity of your name, no matter what business you're in. For me, my name is my trade mark, like my father before me, my name is Brian Newman and I enjoy the challenge of helping people with issues they sometimes can't get help with anywhere else. That will often mean that there are people at the end of their journey and nearing total exhaustion from the perils of whatever process they are negotiating. In the past myself and my team have helped people with anything from dog attacks to the sale of their home. We've assisted countless people with employment matters and even criminal matters. My charter isn't to be all thing