"Anybody has the option of buying a BMW any time they choose", according to Felicity Kennett, wife of Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett.
Felicity Kennett has recently been appointed an "ambassador" for the German luxury car giant, and one of the perks of the job is a free BMW. The Australian regretfully informs us that Felicity now has to mothball her Mercedes.
This story, otherwise a piece of banal trivia, caught our attention because Jeff Kennett is currently locked in battle with Victoria's public transport workers. The workers struck March 8-9 over the Victorian government's public transport corporatisation plans. The premier has declared that his government's proposals are merely the first step towards full privatisation of Victoria's public transport system.
The government has refused to guarantee jobs or current wages and working conditions for the existing work force under the new set-up. On the contrary, indications are that a major assault on their jobs and conditions is in store for the 9500 public transport workers.
Last week, Green Left Weekly carried an article by a tramways union activist, Tully Bates, who is involved in the campaign against these attacks.
Public transport union militants are gearing up for a huge media campaign against them as they prepare to take on the Kennett government. But they know that Green Left Weekly is on their side, building solidarity with their campaign.
Felicity Kennett will probably do very well peddling luxury cars to her rich clientele. But this little Kennett family tale tells another story — the story of the fundamental divisions in our society which place working people trying to protect their livelihoods on one side and governments and their big business backers trying to make more big bucks at our expense on the other.
Green Left Weekly is on the side of the people. If you are on the same side, why not join the active supporters of Green Left Weekly by taking out a subscription and making a financial contribution to our fighting fund? Green Left Weekly — it's on your side.