Kennett attacks public servants
The Victorian government is preparing another attack on public servants via a new Public Sector Management and Employment Bill. The Community and Public Sector Union only viewed the bill on its presentation to parliament.
The bill makes it easier to sack public servants and to hire short-term appointees. Staff will not be held against positions, leaving open the possibility that they could be directed to do duties for which they were not hired. Secretaries of departments are to be given wide powers to hire and fire.
The Kennett propaganda states that the bill will place public servants on a similar footing to private sector employees. Many of these changes are similar to the Howard government's "reforms" to the public sector.
Defeat for bus drivers
BRISBANE — Bus drivers at a stop-work meeting on April 18 reluctantly accepted an enterprise bargaining agreement which increases working hours and removes some penalties rates.
Public Transport Union bus division secretary David Matters said the drivers were unhappy with the deal but had accepted it because the Brisbane City Council had threatened to corporatise the bus service if they did not. Drivers will now take home $30-$50 less a week, and the council says that "reform" of the service will continue.
The drivers also passed a motion in support of the wharfies and called on any incoming federal and state Labor governments to repeal all competition policy laws. Many drivers noted it was Jim Soorley's Labor council which forced the new agreement upon them.
Clean air standards threatened
Clean air campaigners from all mainland states met in Brisbane on May 7 to call on the Queensland government to reject Mount Isa Mines push to convince it and other industry groups that the proposed national air quality standards are not needed or should be weakened. All states, including Queensland, must agree before the standards are accepted.
James Whelan from the Queensland Conservation Council said, "the six pollutants to be subjected to standards kill Australians ... cause respiratory problems, cancer and heart problems, and trigger asthma attacks". Mount Isa Mines will have 10 years to meet the standards which, in most states, are already included in industry licences.