Australian Nurses: Howard power grab concerns

The Australian Nurses Federation today expressed serious concern about John Howard's proposed takeover of Tasmania's Mersey Hospital saying it will not resolve the underlying problem of attracting medical specialists to the area.
ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe described the announcement by Mr Howard to take control of the hospital as a 'power driven political stunt'.

'This hospital has experienced difficulties for some time and those difficulties will not be resolved by an ill-considered takeover by the Howard Government in an election year,' Ms Iliffe said. 'The problems faced by the hospital are not about lack of funding or poor management they are a direct result of the inability to attract medical specialists who can provide the required medical services to the community.

'The lack of consultation with the Tasmanian Government is a real concern. John Howard is behaving like a despot. If he really wanted to assist with solving the problem, consultation with the Tasmanian Government, doctors, nurses and the community is essential. You don't solve a problem by just throwing money at it.

'It is difficult to comprehend why Health Minister Tony Abbott is refusing to engage in consultations with the States on the next round of Australian Health Care Agreements while at the same time Mr Howard is going to extraordinary lengths to intervene in the operation of Tasmania's health system."

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Business: return taxpayers' money!

Business groups that are planning a new pro-‘WorkChoices’ advertising campaign due to start in the next few weeks should first return the millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money they received from the Howard Government to pave the way for the introduction of the new IR laws says the ACTU.

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) which represents Australia’s biggest businesses as well as the ACCI, and other big business lobby groups are reported to be contributing up to $10 million for a new pro WorkChoices ad campaign to be run in the lead up to the federal election. The VECCI is reported today to have added another $750,000 to the business ad campaign kitty.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:
“It is an outrage for business groups to be spending large amounts of money on a pro-Liberal Party advertising campaign when these are the same groups that received almost $4 million from taxpayers to promote John Howard’s ‘WorkChoices’ laws when they were first introduced.

“Having received so much taxpayers’ money to promote the introduction of IR laws, it is wrong that they are now funding a pro-Liberal Party, pro-WorkChoices ad campaign in the lead up to the federal election.

“The Howard Govt’s ‘WorkChoices Employer Assistance Program’ (EAP) handed out over $40 million of taxpayers’ money to business groups including $600,000 to the Australian Mines & Metals Association and over $3.4 million to the state branches of the ACCI to ‘educate’ employers in using the new IR laws.

“The fact is that many employers used their knowledge of the new IR laws to rip off workers by removing penalty rates, overtime pay and other entitlements in the first year that WorkChoices was introduced.

“John Howard has been pressuring business groups to run an ad campaign in support of WorkChoices for a number of months and the fact that business groups are willing to put their hands in their pockets shows that they are just a mouthpiece for the Government.

“This big business advertising campaign is about nothing more than self-interest and ensuring that big employer groups hold onto their new-found power under the Howard Government’s unfair IR laws” said Ms Burrow.

Australia Post plans opposed

On July 19, 2007 Australia Post finally came clean about their plans for the closure of Fitzroy Delivery Centre. Their plans to close the centre have been known for some time. The staff and the union were aware that Clifton Hill & North Fitzroy (Postcode 3068 - 10 posties, 2 night-sorters and 2 parcel contractors) were to be relocated to Preston.

We have been asking for some time about the plans for Fitzroy, Abbotsford and Collingwood (Postcodes: 3065, 3066 & 3067). We have been told nothing was decided yet. Never did we think they would come up with such an unjust, expensive & unworkable plan.

The 17 posties involved have been told they can either work night-shift from 1am – 9.30am for 15% penalties, (A NIGHT SHIFT WITHOUT THE TRADITIONAL 30% PENALTIES – NO WAY!) or scramble for vacancies in other Delivery Centres.

As well as the 17 traditional posties, there are at least 5 night-sorters, 3 box-sorters, relievers, parcel contractors and supervisory staff affected by this site closure. Despite this, management have already started offering part of the Fitzroy work to part-time staff at City Street Delivery Centre who are co-located at CMPC.

Without consultation with the staff or the union, management handed out a Staff Preference Survey expecting staff to make a decision on their futures!

Sydney Ferries: union opposes privatisation

An inquiry in Sydney is hearing from a range of speakers who are discussing privatisation models for the city's ferry service.

The inquiry is being chaired by Bret Walker SC, who was asked by the New South Wales Government to look at ways of improving the reliability and efficiency of Sydney Ferries.

Among the options being discussed are a complete privatisation of the service, the tendering out of certain operations and also the prospect of the government entering into partnerships with the private sector.

The National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, Paddy Crumlin, has told the meeting that the privatisation of the service is a bad idea, and will lead to a doubling of fares and will lower safety standards.

The MUA view has been backed by the lobby group, Action for Public Transport.

Options for keeping the service in public hands are also being discussed.

Keystone Kabinet