The NEXT coming Oz election thread!

..... to which (after a long day's silence) Kevin Rudd responded ..:

Last Update: Thursday, May 24, 2007. 3:57pm (AEST)

Mr Rudd says his wife Therese Rein sought to rectify the problem quickly. (SKY News)

Rudd says wife sought to fix 'honest mistake'

Federal Labor leader, Kevin Rudd, says his wife was told that a company she bought last year was paying all its staff properly.

News Limited newspapers have reported today that a company owned by Mr Rudd's wife Therese Rein had stripped some workers on common law contracts of penalty rates, overtime and allowances in return for an extra 45 cents an hour.

Mr Rudd says his wife bought the company, WorkDirections Australia, last year and it later emerged that 58 staff members had been underpaid by a total of $70,000.

He says the underpayment problem was discovered because of his wife's efforts to check.

"This was obviously an honest mistake and she sought to rectify this as soon as she had [information] available to her," Mr Rudd said.

"I'd be dishonest with you if I said it's not embarrassing that these sort of things happen, of course it's embarrassing."

He says he and his wife will keep talking about her business affairs if he becomes prime minister.

"She's built this up from scratch and so do you turn around and say 'Well that's the end of that sweetheart' or do you do it differently? That's a hard decision," Mr Rudd said.

"The reality we are dealing with here is this is the age of professional women who run their own companies who have their own lives and are not simply the appendages of middle-aged men."

WorkDirections Australia says current staff who had been underpaid have been compensated along with former employees.

A statement released this afternoon also says that common law agreements offered to workers were equitable to previous terms of employment.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1932439.htm

Alexander hard at work in California.
See, dadpad! Proof!:

From this morning's AUSTRALIAN:
Howard to target ALP team
Steve Lewis, Chief political correspondent
May 24, 2007

THE Coalition, led by John Howard's "steely determination" to win a fifth straight election, has opened a fresh line of attack on Labor by challenging the appeal of Kevin Rudd's frontbench team.

Despite rattling the Government on Tuesday with his warning of looming electoral annihilation, the Prime Minister vowed yesterday to lead the Coalition to the election.

But his resolve was undermined by some of his colleagues, who questioned whether the Coalition would do better with Peter Costello as leader.

West Australian Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey said early yesterday the Coalition could mimic Labor from 1983 - when Bob Hawke replaced Bill Hayden - and make a late leadership change before the election.

While the Treasurer's supporters are adamant there is no leadership challenge, some nervous government MPs are asking whether the younger Liberal Party deputy would do better against Mr Rudd.

The Coalition has in the past belittled Mr Rudd's relative inexperience but in recent days it has broadened the attack to target Opposition shadow ministers.

Last night, as Labor began radio advertisements deriding Mr Howard and his team for spending up to $200million of taxpayers' money on advertising propaganda like "drunken sailors", Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane questioned the credentials and experience of Mr Rudd's front bench.

The attack developed the theme established by Mr Howard on Tuesday when he referred to the fact that he, Mr Costello and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had been in their jobs for 11 years. Although Mr Howard said the longevity of his team was a strength and a weakness, government insiders have confirmed the tactic is designed to highlight the Government's experience.

Mr Howard is facing an uphill battle to convince his nervous colleagues that the Government can turn around its dismal position in the polls, where it trails Labor by a massive margin, according to the latest Newspoll. ... <cont>


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21785043-601,00.html

The latest NEWSPOLL results, published in the Australian. (You may have to enlarge, to read clearly.):

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/files/newspoll-22-may.jpg

If the charts were too small to read, you'll be able to read the results more clearly via the link early in this article.:

http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21779357-601,00.html?from=public_rss

What the media missed
May 23, 2007/the AGE



What political commentators declare to be prosperity can still seem like economic insecurity to voters, writes Tim Battin.

A GULF between the Government and the public in how each perceives a government's performance is one thing, but a gulf between media commentators and the public is quite another. .......


..... the Government has been too drawn in by its own party line (as ageing governments often are). It has come to believe its own propaganda about how good things are. The scandal is that many of the media's senior commentators have also swallowed the propaganda of prosperity hook, line and sinker.

The unemployment rate of 4.4 per cent owes itself almost completely to the rate of casualisation, which has near doubled in 25 years and now stands at a staggering 30 per cent of the workforce.

If most mortgagees don't know that real interest rates in Australia are among the highest in the world, they certainly know that nominal rates have increased. In a country that is supposedly so prosperous, the public has begun to ask: why is it that we struggle to educate our children, and why can't we bequeath a better physical environment than the one we inherited? These are matters that the media would normally refer to as sleeper issues.Senior commentators don't or won't ask why we would need a special kind of individual contract to do what other individual contracts have done, but the public suspects there is something wrong with an arrangement that removes so many conditions of employment.

It is difficult to say how much of the commentariat's present stance is due to ignorance about the industrial legislation and how much it is due to the inability of contracted, individualistic and well-paid commentators, from the distance of their own orbit, to recognise the way the real world works.

It is expected that, sooner or later, governments will be sucked in by their own nonsense, but we should continue to demand that our commentators remain disinterested public intellectuals.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/what-the-media-missed/2007/05/22/1179601407654.html?page=fullpage

WELL SAID TIM BATTIN !!!!!!

Yes, I thought so, too, bungie.
I found this article (plus a number now, by Kenneth Davidson - also from the AGE) very heartening. Yay, a bit of reality! But they are so few & far between. It seems that just about everyone else, even so-called "left" commentators, keep repeating that "we never had it so good in Oz" mantra. Some people should get out more & take a damn good look around them! Lots of folk in the real world are struggling to keep their heads above water.
Sometimes I wonder if the bulk of these so-called expert commentators are simply regurgitating the government's press releases, or something?

Fair suck of the sauce bottle! :wink:

UhOh! :

Last Update: Friday, May 25, 2007. 12:18pm (AEST)

Muckaty Station has been nominated for a nuclear waste dump (ABC TV)

Traditional owners agree to nuke waste dump

The Northern Land Council (NLC) says it is confident a nuclear waste dump will be built at Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek, in the Northern Territory.

The NLC has nominated the Aboriginal land for the dump and the proposal will now be considered by the Commonwealth.

The nomination allows Commonwealth scientists to test a 1.5 square kilometre area of Muckaty Station. If they then give the go-ahead, the land will host a low-level repository with an above-ground store for intermediate level waste.

The NLC's chairman John Daly says all 70 of the station's Ngapa traditional owners have agreed to give their land over to the Commonwealth for about 200 years.

In return they will get a $12 million package which includes an $11 million charitable trust and a $1 million educational scholarship fund.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin says she is concerned at the consultation process the NLC used in dealing with Muckaty's traditional owners and wants the Federal Government to look at other possible sites.

Road access to the site will be along an existing mining road from the Stuart Highway. The agreement does not include access to the railway.

A second potential site on Muckaty Station will not proceed due to concerns about sacred sites.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1933023.htm

$23m ad blitz to save planet - and the PM
Marian Wilkinson
May 25, 2007/SMH

THE Howard Government is planning another huge advertising campaign, spending $23 million to sell its "leadership role" and "balanced voice" on global warming while persuading Australians to cut their power use.

Details of the proposed campaign undercut the Government's repeated assertion that its advertising strategy is designed only to inform the public on important issues. The brief for the climate change campaign lists a chief objective as being to "increase awareness of the Australian Government's leadership role … by building awareness of the Australian Government's climate change strategy".

It would also "position the Government as the primary balanced voice on climate change", showing it as taking a middle path between global warming "sceptics" and those the Prime Minister has called "doomsayers".

The campaign comes several months after John Howard did an about-turn on the climate issue, installing Malcolm Turnbull as Environment Minister and dropping the Government's scepticism on the science of climate change.

Details of the brief were given to the Herald as the Prime Minister faced renewed pressure over government advertising after his department said this week there were 18 current campaigns, with a total budget of $111 million. Labor has launched its own campaign, accusing the Government of spending "like a drunken sailor". ...<cont>

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/23m-to-save-planet-and-pm/2007/05/24/1179601579530.html

Crikey! on Kevin & Therese & that company:

First wives: plus ca change
Christian Kerr writes:

Susan Peacock and the Sheridan sheets, Sonia McMahon and that dress - and now Therese Rein and her company with a $175 million turnover and 1300 plus staff in four countries. Plus ca change! The circumstances may be very different, but our political leader's wives are still media magnets -and easy targets for a cheap shot.

The Rudd-Rein business issue is not new at all. It had been identified before Rudd challenged Kim Beazley as a sleeping dog that would wake up one day - and need tethering.

The solution isn't anything new, either, although it will be a financial cost to Rein. She should establish a blind trust or trusts, depending on the commercial and legal advice about the most appropriate structure.

This would do two things. It would create total disconnect between Rein and any of the operations of the company while maintaining the investment that she has built up over many years and remove the political problem of any perceived or actual conflict of interest.

Rein should act now, particularly as will take some time to establish the structures needed.

Indeed, it's poor politics on Rudd's behalf that he and his wife haven't already acted - and that he's still being so coy.

Rudd has been playing a dead bat on this issue. Questions about the potential for problems have been raised since he became leader. His response "we will seek the best advice after I get elected" has always carried a potential political cost.

The answer has always been there, but because Rudd failed to act on an issue that should never have been available to use against him it now has been.

That issue has nothing to do with his wife and her business interests - but instead has everything to do with him.

Rudd should not only be embarrassed by the situation with his wife's business -- once again doubt has been raised about his judgement over managing political issues and his failure to seek advice, or, perhaps, his failure to act appropriately on the advice he's been given.

Still, this isn't a win for the government. They've had a shocker of a week. Wheeling out some dated gender stereotypes hasn't helped.

Rudd's management of that side of this matter has been excellent. He presents as an equal in a loving, longstanding marriage, respectful of his partner and able to joke about their relationship.

He is seen by working women as being wonderfully supportive and exactly what they would wish for in a thoroughly modern male.

We already know that women voters have been warming to the Labor leadership team.

This affair will do no damage to the female vote that turned away in droves from Latham and Labor in 2004. Indeed, it is likely to improve many women voters' impression of the Labor leader.

And we have to ask that if Rein was the politician and Rudd the businessperson if this same fuss would even be made?

The hypocrisy of the conservatism - read sexism - of the government response is evident in the reporting too.

Look across at the government benches. One of the most appealing things about Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull is the way in which they are so clearly a partnership of equals. Lucy Turnbull has a hands-on role in her husband's business affairs, as well as interests of her own.

That attracts very little comment - even though Malcolm Turnbull is not just a putative PM but a minister.

I have to disagree with a lot of the opinion in this artical.

Rudds wife runs a business. Why should she relinquish control just because Kevin is in politics.

Businesses will be businesses and will take any advantage they can.
One assumes Rudds wife is a director and not involved in the day to day running of the business or the nitty gritty of why the company was suddenly making a few thousand more a week. Although the buck has to stop somewhere.
If anything Rein should sack the manager(s) responsible for taking advantage of workers - if in fact it was an illegal act, and the company should be prosecuted. If it was not an illegal act then that seves to highlight Howards inequitable IR laws.

And Kevin if he comes to power has the opportunity to change that.


Crap I agree with kevin in not asking his partner to make changes. Kevin may not win power.

Well of course there's a conflict of interest between Kevin's job & Therese's job!
He is the leader of the Australian Labor Party. The major plank of that party in this election campaign has been opposition to the government's IR laws which have exploited & undermined Australian workers' standards of living. An important part of that campaign has been highlighting examples (& naming businesses) which have exploited workers under AWAs.

She heads a highly successful company which is guilty of exploiting workers in this very way. Whether it is a common law agreement or an AWA is immaterial. It amounts to the same thing when it comes to the workers' entitlements. And according to the latest media reports, the offending deal for employees happened after she acquired the new company, not before. It is perfectly correct that the ALP target her company along with the rest that undermine workers' rights & entitlements. But of course they didn't. (& BTW, Ms Rein's company became a going concern directly as a result of the Liberal government's privatization of the Commonwealth Employment Service & the creation of the new job networks in 1998. Many public sector workers jobs were lost as a result of this.)

I'm totally in agreement with Crikey! on this. They should have sorted this out before this media embarrassment (& the public undermining of the ALP) occurred. I'm certain there must have been warnings of the damage that could be done to the Labor Party if they didn't sort this out before Kevin was on the campaign trail to become the next (ALP!) prime minister of this country.

This has absolutely nothing to do with any Australian political leader's wife's right to have a successful working life of her own. It has everything to do with the the Rudd/Reins apparently having little clue about how their private interests could impact on the ALP (& the working people of this country) And frankly, I care much more about the welfare of the working people of this country than I do about the Rudd/Reins.

Last Update: Sunday, May 27, 2007. 7:01pm (AEST)

Firm charged over 'forced AWAs'

Major aviation company National Jet Systems has been charged with forcing three of its pilots to sign Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs).

It is alleged the firm withheld pay rises the pilots were entitled to under their existing AWAs to pressure them into signing new agreements.

The Office of Workplace Services (OWS) says the Perth-based company rejected numerous opportunities to rectify the alleged underpayments.

More than 800 people work for National Jet Systems, which provides airline charter, freight and passenger services.

The OWS is seeking penalties in the Federal Magistrates Court in Perth for the duress and the alleged underpayments.

The office also wants an order ensuring any other underpayments by the company are rectified.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1934445.htm

Talk of sale on the agenda 'for months'
Michelle Grattan and Sarah Smiles
May 28, 2007/the AGE

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd supports his wife, Therese Rein, during a news conference in Canberra yesterday.
Photo: Andrew Taylor

THERESE Rein has revealed that all of her 800 Australian staff are employed on individual common law contracts, and yesterday said her board had been discussing "for months" what would happen with the company if her husband, Kevin Rudd, became prime minister.

After announcing on Saturday night that she would sell the Australian arm of the business, controversy opened on a new front yesterday when she was questioned about advertising in Germany for workers to come to Australia on the controversial 457 visas.

Quizzed on whether people using those visas might be employed on Australian Workplace Agreements, Ms Rein said: "We are not actually privy to the contracts that are signed. But what we are assured of is that the industry is paying well above award wages."She said she did not want her business interests to affect any decision voters might make at the election about Mr Rudd. If Mr Rudd were prime minister, it would not be sensible for her company to receive "even one dollar" of government money.

Ms Rein said all her workers had been on individual common law contracts in the 18 years since she founded the company. When asked if individual common law contracts worked better for her than having the staff on awards, she said "not necessarily".

Mr Rudd pointed out that Labor's workplace policy embraced awards and common law contracts.

ACTU president Sharan Burrow said the ACTU believed common law contracts were a "second-rate employment arrangement for workers". "Enterprise bargaining arrangements are always a better choice" she said.

Ms Rein said the company, which employs more than 1400 staff worldwide and had a total revenue of $175 million last year, had sought coal workers under the 457 visas.

The 457 temporary visas, which allow skilled migrants to take jobs that can't be filled by Australians, have been criticised by Labor and unions for allowing the exploitation of foreign workers and for undercutting local wages.

The website of one of Ms Rein's businesses, Clements Recruitment, advertises coal mining jobs in Queensland to a German audience, offering "excellent" pay, training opportunities, "generous" removal packages and health insurance.

Ms Rein said the coal industry was "screaming" for skilled people and the industry was winding down in Germany, leaving a lot of skilled people out of work. She was not sure whether any had come in response to the advertising.

Labor has said it would keep the 457 visa scheme, but tighten its conditions.

Mr Rudd said Ms Rein "operates within the law of the government of the day. "Our position as the alternative government … is that we believe there should be more effective market testing of each employment category before they become subject to 457 applications."

Asked whether he'd been a bit tough on other small businesses over their behaviour, Mr Rudd said this had been "a pretty soul searching experience for both of us".

He said Labor's position had not been about what individual businesses did so much as the laws under which they operated.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/talk-of-sale-on-the-agenda-for-months/2007/05/27/1180205077442.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

<sigh>

OK, I'm going to say as little as possible about this. The Rudd/Rein soapie being played out in the media is making me decidedly cranky. Ugh, soppy spin, spin, spin!

But .... ALL her agency workers have been on individual common law contracts? ... from the start? And now: 457 visas? Golly!

Agghhh!

I hate those Job Networks! Horrible places! Ask any unemployed person whose had to deal with them. (No choice, thanks to the Libs.) Ms Rein's company sounds pretty much like most of the rest, though she's done a lot better financially than many of the others.

But, of course, as an independent business woman, she is perfectly entitled to conduct her business as she has. And to become very wealthy in the process. Many folk are congratulating her on her achievements. You know, if she & Kev were Liberal Party folk there would be absolutely no conflict of interest what-so-ever. She'd be seen as a raging success story! Makes ya think, doesn't it? :wink:

Me, I'm starting to feel a bit nostalgic for the previous Labor leader .... you know, that fellow with the anger issues? :wink: At least he seemed to understand what Labor is about!

Rudd changes the face of politics
Tim Colebatch
May 28, 2007/the AGE

IF AUSTRALIANS vote on election day as they said they would in polls over the past six months, the Government would lose its leader, its future leader and, at least in the House of Representatives, most of its ministers and MPs. "Annihilation" is a fair word for it.

A detailed analysis of the past six The Age/ACNielsen polls, from November to May, shows that on average they reveal a swing to Labor of almost 10 per cent since the 2004 election.

If the average poll finding over the past six months were reflected on election day, the Coalition would lose 49 of its 87 seats in the House of Representatives.

I just watched the Red Barren not answering questions on lateline. She has just a touch of softness about her that I like, a girl thing I think.

however I do not believe the explanation of An honest mistake on behalf of Ms Reins company. Any good business would have known the full dollar impact of changes to staff entitlements and the legality thereof.

Fairness is not an issue but proves the need for there to be an independent umpire.

Joe Hockey is certainly earning his stripes taking the brunt of attacks. Is he just proving his loyalty or being groomed for some future role?

I think he comes across as a mafia hit man.

A Mafia hit man, dadpad?
Me, I think he comes across as a rather decent person (for the Libs! :wink:) trying really hard to be tough.
Now his predecessor, Kevin Andrews! <shudder> I reckon he could easily pass for a nasty, ruthless undertaker!

The Red Baron is our Julia, I presume? And you have a wee crush, do you?

Another thing about Therese: they (K &T) should have sorted this out way earlier, for another reason: The job network providers are paid by results. They place unemployed folk (who must work through them & Centrelink - no choice) & get payment for this from the federal government. The more "successful" they are, the more money they earn. Now it's one thing for Therese to become wealthy heading a company by this method under a Liberal government, but imagine if her husband was the prime minister. And a Labor one at that! All in the family! Not a good look, hey? :wink:

Also I think this promotion of 457 visas in Germany & other countries is going to lead to a bit of strife, down the track. Labor has been unhappy with how they've been handled (abused?) under the Libs & want to tighten up the scheme. A lot of criticism from the unions, too.

I have always thought these so called "Job Networks" were just a way to give business a slice of the welfare cheque. The old C.E.S. did a better job and for about 1% of the cost.



I agree msolga, it's a pity he went off the tracks or was derailed on purpose. His heart was in the right place for the little people.