Lance Hockridge is plainly in no mood to dust over the channel in the industrial relations sands he drew with such certain prejudice back in February. Just nine days ahead of launching a novel, uncertain and fiercely contested attempt to terminate all 14 of his core Queensland enterprise agreements, the Aurizon chief executive has launched another frontal assault on the rail unions and the industrial relations processes that are so tilted in their favour.

Given Aurizon is successful, the ramifications of the Fair Work Commission case expected to take two weeks to hear and a further two months to decide would be profound.