Tamworth: Rights at Work Bus ban!

The Greens today joined with local unionists and community members in calling on the Tamworth Chamber of Commerce to reverse its decision to ban the Rights at Work bus from Saturday's Country Music Cavalcade.

Greens Upper House candidate John Kaye said: "The Festival celebrates an important component of Australian culture. It is a key event of national significance.

"Excluding the Rights at Work bus is an insult to many working Australians who will be watching the parade.

"The Chamber's position is weak. They are allowing National Party candidate for the state set of Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, to be part of the Cavalcade with a 'Save Our Water' banner. Mr Anderson's political statement blows any pretence of the event being non-political.

"The Chamber of Commerce is engaging in the worst kind of political censorship. It is at risk of losing respect in the community and being seen as a partisan pawn for the Howard government.

"The ban will damage the reputation of the Festival throughout Australia.

"Many people who will watch the cavalcade live in growing fear that their rights at work are being undermined. They are worried about the sort of world their children and grandchildren will inherit.

"The ban is particularly inappropriate given the appalling impact that the Federal Government's industrial relations laws will have on rural and regional communities. If one employer in a country town uses John Howard's 'WorkChoices' legislation to suppress wages and conditions, others will be forced to follow suit or risk becoming uncompetitive. The ensuing death spiral of lowering wages and suppressed economic activity will drive many communities over the edge.

"It is not too late for the Chamber of Commerce to reverse their ban and restore the integrity of the Festival," Dr Kaye said.