by FilmInk Staff
The ABC and Screen Australia are proud to announce Battle on the Waterfront, a gripping new three-part documentary series exploring the industrial dispute that changed Australia.
In April 1998, the gates of Australia’s leading terminal operator Patrick Stevedores slammed shut, sparking one of the most dramatic confrontations in the nation’s history. Armed guards, attack dogs, mass sackings and weeks of protests turned the nation’s waterfront into a battleground over power, productivity and the future of work.
Through exclusive interviews, rare archival material and previously unseen footage, Battle on the Waterfront revisits the conflict that pitted a militant union against a powerful businessman and a government determined to reform the docks. More than an industrial dispute, it was a fight over workers’ rights, economic reform and the future of Australian workplaces.
Featuring firsthand accounts from former Prime Minister John Howard, Patrick chief Chris Corrigan, union leader Greg Combet, sacked wharfies and replacement workers, the series goes beyond the headlines to reveal the personal stories behind a defining national conflict.
From tense picket lines and secret boardroom negotiations to Parliament, the courts and life on the docks, Battle on the Waterfront captures the high-stakes decisions and lasting consequences that continue to shape debates about work today.
Nearly three decades on, as automation, artificial intelligence and the gig economy transform workplaces around the world, Battle on the Waterfront revisits a watershed moment in Australian history and asks what workers’ rights mean in a rapidly changing age.
Powerful, timely and deeply human, Battle on the Waterfront explores the conflict that reshaped a nation and whose legacy continues to be felt today.
Susie Jones, Head of Documentary and Specialist said “Battle on the Waterfront tells one of the defining stories of modern Australia — a dispute that went far beyond the docks to ask fundamental questions about power, fairness and the value of work. With unprecedented access to the people who lived through it, this series doesn’t just look back at 1998, it holds up a mirror to the challenges facing Australian workers today, as automation and the gig economy reshape our industries all over again. This is exactly the kind of ambitious, deeply researched storytelling the ABC exists to deliver.”
Screen Australia Head of Documentary Richard Huddleston said, “Battle on the Waterfront explores a moment when competing visions for the country collided. By bringing together the voices of those who stood on opposing sides, this impressive series offers new insights into the people, motivations and consequences behind the conflict, reminding us that history is rarely as simple as winners and losers.”
Battle on the Waterfront will air on ABC TV and ABC iview in 2027.
Production credit: Battle on the Waterfront is a Ronde production for the ABC. Principal production funding from the ABC and Screen Australia. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Executive Produced by Paula Bycroft. Directed by Liam Taylor. Series Producer: Michael Reid. Ronde Executive Producer: Ben Davies. Ronde Head of Production: Stef Foerster. ABC Commissioning Editor: Stephen Oliver. ABC Head of Documentary and Specialist: Susie Jones
