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Another Bad Contract

2 June 2010
In July 2009 we launched a campaign we call 'integrity of contract'. It's all about pushing for fair contracts for the 2.1 million self-employed people in our community.

We've being building case studies of people who believe they have been subject to unfair contracts and, frankly, have found that the legal systems available to fix the unfairness are inadequate. Today (2 June 2010) we release the story of a contractor who simply didn't want to accept a contract that he considered unfair. It involves a government department and a contract management company.

We've written to: to see if a commercial resolution can be achieved. The two letters explain the situation.

We have many other cases that people have bought to our attention and we are seeking to work through these as far as we can.

Our objective is to see changes to the standard form contracts that government uses. Government can take a practical initiative in this area and lead the community. Further, we think that large companies can also review their contract practice with a view to ensuring balance and fairness.