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Australia Privatisation Alert

From Stephen Fiyalko fiyalkos@melbpc.org.au
17 February 1998

The Australian government will soon be announcing the results of tendering for delivery of employment services. Rumours have it that hundreds of non-profit community agencies will be forced to close, thousands of jobs in those agencies and the public sector will be lost, and tens of thousands of unemployed people will become even more disadvantaged.

Despite a process shrouded behind the veil of probity, a strong rumour has it that one multi-national company will emerge with a 30% market share worth some $300 million (Australian). This company is also rumoured to be under the Drake International.

Drake International is a Canadian-registered, privately owned company with some $2 billion in revenue with affiliates operating in some nine courntries including Canada, United States, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Australia, Luxembourg, South Africa, Singapore, Monaco and perhaps elsewhere.

According to news on the www it has been involved in strike-breaking on the Liverpool docks and in other activities.

Could anyone who knows anything about the activities, corporate structure and finances of this company world-wide please reply to me direct at fiyalkos@melbpc.org.au.

Also any ideas on strategies to cope with such a menace please let me know.

Also please pass this message on to whomever might be interested.