Howard's bid to ram through terror, work laws

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard bunkered down yesterday for two weeks in Parliament in a bid to drive through controversial industrial and anti-terror laws before Christmas.

Howard has extended Parliament's final session for the year by two days to give him the best possible chance of swinging the Upper House his way.

Late yesterday, the Senate was preparing to receive a report from its legal and constitutional committee on the anti-terror laws proposing tough powers on arrest and detention.

It was expected to urge more safeguards for detainees.

The report was expected to criticise Howard for cutting short debate on the laws, especially on sedition provisions, which opponents claim could be used to crush dissent.

Senators were already embroiled in a bitter fight over new industrial provisions that will strip most worker rights and conditions.

On both proposals Howard is facing concern and possible rebellion from his own ranks.

And in both legislative packages Howard is beginning to compromise at the fringes, particularly with Queensland Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce threatening to vote with the Opposition on industrial reforms.

With an Upper House majority of only one seat, a defection by Joyce would doom the bill, as his earlier crossing of the floor did to proposed changes to competition law.

While state governments and polls generally support tougher anti-terror measures, criticism from across the social and political spectrum suggests Howard may have pushed too hard.

Yesterday ABC radio reported that Attorney-General Philip Ruddock had indicated the Government was prepared to consider changes to the anti-terror package, particularly the sedition provisions.

The Government may also need to make concessions to have its industrial package survive the Senate.

Yesterday the Australian reported Howard was prepared to prevent employers from sacking workers who refuse to work on public holidays.