‘We were lucky, we routed the Packers Kerry and Clyde. But with the weapons Browne gave my mates if could have been nasty. So you see, even then your own dad could have finished with a criminal record.’

“19 September 1997

 Lachlan Murdoch 

Executive Chairman

News Ltd

2 Holt Street

Surry Hills NSW 2010

Dear Mr Murdoch

I am an ex-News Ltd employee with upwards of fifty years in delivering the publications our of Holt Street, Surrey Hills and then the news plant at Chullora under different proprietors as a contract driver. Attached is a chronological history of my record.

Over these years I received numerous promises in exchange for loyalty, dedication and service. After I resigned in 1992, still with promises and after a short stint of absence, I recommenced delivery of publications, 24 hours a day around the CBA and Kings Cross area. Then in 1997 I was replaced without any consideration or remuneration what-so-ever.

As you will be informed, I served a sentence for fraud (S.S.) for assisting a friend to receive the dole. He took a powder and left me holding the bag. I paid back every cent plus interest then served my sentence. I appealed this sentence this year before the Court of Criminal Appeal. At my expense my appeal failed. That makes me a criminal. Then again I could have been a criminal in the early 1960s, so too could your father. Your father had an issue with the Packer family over the suburban paper “The Cumberland Press”. He got in a tight corner and engaged Frank Browne (Journalist) to defuse the matter. Browne rang a personal friend of mine, Al Morgan (the best street fighter in Sydney). He rang me to pick up two other mates, Laurie O’Toole and Rocky Riley. After picking them up I drove the car to Chippendale where we met Browne. He said your father was parked down the street. He gave Al, Laurie and Rocky their instructions and I was to stay in the car, flash the headlights if any coppers came around and be ready for a quick get away in case of any trouble, We were lucky, we routed the Packers Kerry and Clyde. But with the weapons Browne gave my mates if could have been nasty. So you see, even then your own dad could have finished with a criminal record. However, that’s history.

My main concern was the moral issue in the way I was dumped. Just before my trial in 1992 I was financially strapped. I had four (4) motor vehicle accidents between 1980 and 1990 and paying out more than $300,000 in wages to drivers. I needed legal representation and approached Chicka McNeil, assistant to Tom Stocke, Nationwide personnel boss. I told him my predicament and he told me the area distributors contract had run its course and a new transport scheme would operate in 1993. Resign, get legal aid, then reapply in 1993 and you will not miss out on being reinstated. I was convicted and sentenced and I was in custody in 1993. I couldn’t sign in 1993 because Custodians are prevented from signing contracts.

John Rogers knew of all these details. Before the 1993 contracts I had several phone calls from gaol to Tom and Charles in their offices. The calls were about input into the new transport scheme. I had approximately 10 pages of material hand delivered to Tom’s office. 60% to 70% of this information was included in the 1993-1996 contracts. My son-in-law received a 1993-1996 contract, delivering all publications around the CBA and Kings Cross areas at 10am, 2pm, 10pm, 2am, 24 hours a day. I managed this contract from1994 with my son’s help. We did an excellent job and put our bodies on the line a few times, especially around the Kings Cross area during the hectic times.

Come the 1997 contract, we tendered the lowest and competitive rates but despite this, other tenderers with higher rates and very little company service, received the contracts. One contractor indirectly as given five (5) runs.

On May 6^th 1997 I took out a summons for relief in the NSW Industrial Court for unfair, harsh and unconscionable contracts, I have also co-opted the Transport Workers Union for being inept, inadvertent and remiss in their obligations to Union Members.

These matters have been listed for mention twice before Justice Hill, both were adjourned until 1^st October 1997 to be either struck out or a date set for a hearing. With costs escalating, I am of the opinion that common sense should prevail.

If you have given your valuable time to ready my history, you would have to admit the grounds for the dispute are fundamentally justifiable, I have no pretensions or assertions that I can succeed with these summons, although being a moral issue it’s surprising how long the legal profession allow them to drag on. If you consider that this appeal has gone on long enough, I will let you decide as arbitrator, to instruct me to have the matter struck out on October 1st 1997 without any accountability, liability or onus for remuneration against Nationwide News Ltd on my behalf.

Yours faithfully,

Frederick George Rix.”