Barrister and
human rights activist Julian Burnside QC represented the Australian Maritime
Union in its stoush with Patrick Stevedores over the 1998 waterfront dispute. At
the launch of the ABC TV four-part series Bastard Boys based on the
events, we hear that Mr Burnside presented Rhys Muldoon, the actor who protrays
him in the drama, with the ties he had worn on each day of the court
proceedings, as recorded in his
diary.

Bastard Boys appears, amazingly, to have
pleased both the bitter antagonists. During a Melbourne Film Festival discussion
with young filmmakers last weekend, ABC Drama head Scott Meek said the ACTU’s
Greg Combet and Patrick’s Chris Corrigan had seen advance copies of the script.
Each approved, with one query. Combet: “Is it clear that we won?” Corrigan: “Is
it clear that I won.”