A vote for us is a vote for being fucked by your furniture!

JOHN HOWARD has sought to turn his most unpopular policy into a key pitch for re-election by promising Work Choices would become "part of the furniture" if the Coalition wins on Saturday.

SMH

As a public servant, I have been immune (thus far) from the changes to the IR laws. But that doesn't mean that I will be in the future. On the contrary, there are already moves to make WorkChoices applicable to the public service.

I have worked in the private sector before, so I know that as a public servant I have it pretty damn good. While I bemoan the fact that because of the nature of the PS you have quite a number of workers who are useless but it is too difficult to get rid of them with the current bureaucratic processes, I still hold onto my entitlements as if my life depended on it, because in some respects, it does.

I'm not afraid to admit that the thought of WorkChoices becoming "part of the furniture", scares the bejebus out of me.

But the Government has suppressed hundreds of pages of documents that could contradict its pledge not to take its industrial relations reforms further. The documents canvass options for another wave of reform, but Channel Seven has lost a battle to expose them under freedom-of-information laws. Labor's deputy leader, Julia Gillard, last night accused the Government of a pre-election cover-up on Work Choices. "The Australian people have a right to know what the Howard Government is hiding," she said.

Tonight on the 7:30 report, Howard claimed that WorkChoices as it is now doesn't need any "refinement". But really, this is the man who didn't even go to the last election declaring that they'd try to completely overhaul the IR system. When they won control of the senate, my heart sank - I knew there were three things that were inevitable: VSU, full sale of Telstra and the gutting of the IR system. I was right on all three.

There is no doubt in my mind that should the government get back in, they will try to remove ALL unfair dismissal laws. And that will just be the start of it.

They will make further changes to healthcare. Reducing state funding or taking over completely.

Likewise education. Education will come under federal control. While I agree there needs to be consistency between the states in terms of curriculum, changes will consist of more than that if Julie Bishop gets her way.

If the federal government can just walk in and make changes to the big three, and ignore the issues surrounding the environment, what is to stop them from choosing to overturn state laws they don't agree with? Sounds totalitarian doesn't it? Don't think it will happen? I am being alarmist? Maybe. But I sure as hell don't want to take the risk.

There are bigger stakes in this election than which party will give the bigger tax cut. Or what is going to happen to interest rates. Or what percentage of the Rudd government is made up of "union officials". The rights of every person in this country are at stake.

National Farmers Federation hates Australian workers

Gam and I just saw this pro-WorkChoices ad by the National Farmers Federation on SBS.

The gist? Australia workers should bend over and take it up the arse from the Howard government because Australian farmers need 'flexibility'. The whole of the population should be subjected to AWAs that strip away their rights at work because farmers want to use AWAs.

And if you disagree, you must hate farmers. Think of the farmers!

Wankers.

Howard to get his arse kicked

YOUNG voters, fearful about jobs, are poised to deliver a savage blow to John Howard's fifth-term election prospects, an exclusive Sun-Herald/Taverner poll has found.

The Prime Minister will visit Yarralumla today to advise Governor-General Michael Jeffery of his wish to dissolve Parliament and call a federal election for either November 24 or December 1.

He will do so as the devastating poll reveals his long-time critical support among older voters has also eroded dramatically.

The poll, conducted in NSW and Victoria, revealed Mr Howard entering the election campaign a whopping 18 per cent behind Labor on a two-party preferred basis - 59 per cent to 41 per cent.

Across nearly all demographics and among men and women Labor has leapt ahead, pointing to a landslide victory for the Opposition.

If mirrored on polling day, it would mean a loss to the Government of more than 20 seats.

Hatred of Mr Howard's workplace laws emerged as the critical factor in the dramatic shift in support away from the Government.

First-time voters and the under 29s cited fears about jobs and employment security as the reason they would not vote for the Government.

SMH

Younger people are less likely to vote for the Liberals anyway, so that comes as little surprise. But the wrinkly vote, the vote that - along with the religious conservative vote - is generally the one that gives him an edge.

Theoretically, the IR changes are going to be the thing that kicks the government while they're down. Good. Let's just hope that people remember all the things that the government has done to screw people over.

Insiders is on at the moment. They are expecting the election to be called in hours.

Escape from Work Choices

I couldn’t make this one up:

A PRO-WorkChoices television advertisement featuring "union thugs" was pulled off air last night after The Sunday Age revealed that two actors featured in the advertisement were notorious criminals. (23 September 2007)

I hope they are union members. Their AWAs won’t protect them from unfair dismissal over this one. They will probably be charged with consorting given the company they’ve were keeping making this ad - the employers.

Talking of TV ads, last night SBS backed up a government, i.e. taxpayer funded, Work Choices one with an employer effort. Is the PM trying to win by a media version of the water torture – one drip at a time? There is now no escape when The Bill is on the ABC. Hope someone will get a core promise from Howard (or should it be Costello) not to have advertising on the ABC.

Original post at: Labor View from Broome