The NEXT coming Oz election thread!

hey! Did they get the damned IR laws through the SENATE?????

Just checking my watch....dunno.

I don't think they've been introduced in the Senate yet, they're still in the House. I did hear that NSW is going to run a High Court challenge so that might upset the plan. That's good because the more info that's coming out the better. Even the Australian featured some pretty hair-raising information about Howard's anti-worker legislation.

There should be some very worried people in Australia right now.

And I don't think it's too far fetched to say that we're losing our democracy right now, in front of our very eyes.

Yeppers.

Aaaaargh!

What's this? Our prime minister refuses to debate his cherished IR "reforms" with the leader of the opposition? Huh? Didn't Howard declare that Beazley had no "ticker" ?(ie he's gutless!) This is democracy at work?: Our government has spent something like $55 million (so far!) to promote a thoroughly unpopular "reform" that most Australians don't want a bar of. (just read all the the poll results.) $55 million (so far) that could have been spent on health, education, anything vaguely positive for our country! But hey, he can't face the people in a public debate & elaborate on the terrific virtues of what he's imposing on us! So whose lacking ticker then, hmmmm? I'm thoroughly disgusted.

Howard refuses IR debate challenge
November 3, 2005 - 2:33PM/SMH

Prime Minister John Howard has again refused to face Opposition Leader Kim Beazley in a national televised debate over the industrial relations legislation.

Mr Beazley has challenged Mr Howard to a TV debate on the proposed workplace changes introduced to parliament yesterday.

He asked if Mr Howard would debate him in a "televised, national, fair dinkum debate".

"Given the prime minister has hidden behind a $50 million propaganda campaign and now hides 1200 pages of extreme and complex law, will the prime minister come out of hiding for a televised national fair dinkum debate," he said.

Mr Howard referred Mr Beazley to his answer he gave to the question yesterday.

Mr Howard has repeatedly said Mr Beazley can debate him in parliament.

Uproar continued today over the government's legislation in Question Time with four Labor MPs ejected from the chamber so far.

Yesterday eleven Labor MPs were kicked out during debate on the legislation.

AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/howard-refuses-ir-debate-challenge/2005/11/03/1130823329605.html

Please please please let this be Howard's biggest tactical mistake, driven by hubris, stripping him of the carefully crafted image he has constructed, aided and abetted by a compliant and uncritical media to finally show him for what he is, an uncaring, ideologically driven, arrogant, disdainful of ordinary people whom he once called "the mob", vicious, pathological, twisted and downright dishonest politician that he is.

I had to get that in now because after the new counter-terrorist laws are in place when even my "implied" right of free speech I could be arrested and charged with sedition.

The Howard Gang has to go.


ps: Bill Leak - it's spelled "habeas".

Dammit, I'm almost praying!

Last Update: Thursday, November 3, 2005. 8:56pm (AEDT)

Coalition MPs have forced some major changes to the Federal Government's counter-terrorism laws, which have been introduced into Parliament.

The Bill was delayed this week because of concerns raised by the state and territory leaders.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, who has tabled the counter-terrorism legislation, says he hopes the new laws will be passed by Christmas. ... <cont>

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1497216.htm

Features of new anti-terrorism laws
November 3, 2005 - 7:19PM

 A ban on organisations that advocate terrorism.

 Terror suspects subject to control orders for up to 12 months. But the orders will be subject to court challenge.

 Suspects can be held in preventative detention for up to 14 days without charge.

 Seven-year jail terms for urging ill-will or hostility towards different groups.

 Stronger offences for financing terrorism.

 Stop, search and seizure powers to be used in airports and other commonwealth places to prevent or respond to terrorism.

 Federal police given greater powers to seize information from businesses, airlines and journalists which could help in terrorism investigations.

 Legal protection for use of security cameras at airports.

 State police covered by state shoot-to-kill rules.

AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/features-of-new-antiterrorism-laws/2005/11/03/1130823337922.html

True test is just around the corner
By MICHELLE GRATTAN
November 3, 2005/the AGE

ONE test of the need to rush a minor change to the nation's anti-terrorism laws through Parliament today will come almost immediately.

This week the Government has received specific information of a terrorist threat to Australia. The PM says passage of the amendment will strengthen agencies' capacity to respond.

If authorities require this instant legal finetuning, they'll presumably act at once. Logically, we should see arrests over the next few days.

If that doesn't happen, the alteration presumably could have waited at least until Monday, when the Senate was due back. That way, the bad guys might have been given less notice. The amendment could have been put through within one day, rather than two. ... <cont>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/true-test-is-just-around-the-corner/2005/11/02/1130823280998.html

I know we're supposed to be thinking of nothing but a likely terrorist attack & forget about the IR legislation completely, but I'm not going to! Here are some of the details of Howard's fabulous IR package:

What the changes will mean
November 3, 2005/the AGE

What are the main changes in this bill that will affect me?

The bill makes three big changes.

First, it abolishes the "no disadvantage" safety net that protects workers in individual agreements with their employer.

Under the new rules, workers can agree to give up their rights to conditions such as penalty rates, overtime rates, annual leave loadings and other allowances, public holidays, rest breaks, bonuses and so on. These can be traded away for pay rises or other benefits, or for no compensation at all.

Second, four standard conditions will be legislated to apply to all workers: a 38-hour standard working week (which can be averaged over the year), four weeks' annual leave (half of which can be cashed out), 10 days of paid personal leave and a year of unpaid parental leave. These cannot be traded away.

Third, workers will lose their protection against unfair dismissal, unless they are employed by companies with more than 100 employees. Even in large companies, there will be no protection if employers can show the dismissal was partly for "operational reasons … of an economic, technological, structural or similar nature". ... <cont>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/what-the-changes-will-mean/2005/11/02/1130823281019.html

Remember 11/11/75? We thought that was a coup? How wrong we were.
THIS is a coup.

<sigh>

Oh, I remember '75 alright!

Yes, this feels like a coup right now, gf. Eveything, absolutely everything is up for grabs! I swear, I had a small anxiety attack watching revolting news item after after revolting news item on SBS news last night. Who gave Howard the right to do this to Australia? Better get ready for some serious boulder pushing, hey?

Bonus situation: i can get a lawyer or accountant to assist me in negotiating with my employer. At 150/ hour let me see say 3 hours thats $450.00 to get what? The same as i was getting before my employer decided to move to AWA's.

Thanks Honest John

Yeah, thanks for nothing, buddy! And to think that the conditions for all of this happening came about because "battlers" voted to keep interest rates on their mortgage rates down! Thanks, suckers!

... however, I feel very comforted that the newly-appointed head (forget his name) of the Fair Claims Commission (I think that's the proper name of this august body?) says he will be guided by God in his deliberations!

ACTU campaign page

I joined up. Yet another career-limiting move I suspect

More at The Australian

Their leader is worth a read too. Interesting. Do I detect a subtle shift away from Howard? Or am I being too optomistic?

A declaration of class warfare? Absolutely!: