/var/lock/console/$USER broken for shutdown (GNOME)?

[Robert Staudinger <robsta@stereolyzer.net>]

Hello, 

since upgrading my iBook running unstable last week the 
"touch /var/lock/console/$USER" hack to allow shutdown/reboot for
ordinary users in a GNOME session seems to be broken.

Is there a way to get it working again?

Thanks, 
Rob