Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.

Secretary's Soapbox - 10 May 2006

Federal Budget a Con

10 May 2006

The recent Federal Budget was no good for Victorian Workers.  In particular, we should note the $250 million set aside to aid the business community to cut so called “red tape” requirements.  These ‘red tape reduction proposals’ are simply code for reducing health and safety requirements in the workplace.
 
 Industrial Relations Minister Kevin Andrews has announced a review into OHS laws nationally, claiming amongst other things, OHS State laws were holding employers back.
This is clearly an attack on Victoria’s new OHS Act, which has some strong provisions in it that Kevin Andrews wants to water down.
There is also the $500 million being set aside by Howard to try to sell the governments draconian IR laws. The IR laws will undermine job security and reduce wages and conditions, putting more pressure on household budgets.
 
The token tax cuts will disappear very quickly with the negative impact of the Workplace legislation. Mr Costello’s claim that his Budget is designed to “give certainty to families” is a lie with the IR sword now hanging over their heads.
The 35 workers at Maxitrons in Ballarat for example, sacked on Federal budget eve, definitely had nothing to look forward to in the Budget!
 
The Federal Budget also set aside $15 million to promote the federal government’s forthcoming Independent Contractors legislation.  This new I.R. Law is designed to play off so called ‘self-employed’ individuals against organised union workplaces.  It’s a further attack on collective agreements.  Like AWA’s (individual contracts) in another guise, the ‘independent contractors’ idea is sop to some people who think they, can play at ‘being their own boss’.
 
In addition, the secret watchdog for the building industry, the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), formerly the Interim Taskforce, has had its funding rise from $20 million to $33 million with its ‘spy force’ staff rising from 120 to 155.
Overall this was definitely not a Budget for working people.
 
Brian Boyd
VTHC Secretary

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