Acting Workplace Relations Minister Penny Wong, criticized The Coalition of being confused over their policy, but the criticism is based on the fact that the ALP's policy is not yet known.
The Liberal party, under Brendan Nelson, has promised to hold the ALP accountable to their election promises. Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop has reaffirmed Mr Nelson's position by saying that the Coalition's policy, after officially dumping Work Choices, would revert to backing laws that existed over the first decade of the former government.
It was then Ms Wong expressed her confusion. "Does she support the previous government's laws, and if so, which ones? Or does she support her leader's policy, which is apparently to support Labor's policy?"
If only the Rudd administration could say what it intended to do, all the confusion would go away.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Rudd Government Confused Over IR Laws
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Libs in muddle over IR: Wong
By Brad Norington
THE Coalition has been accused of muddled thinking after making a hasty retreat from Brendan Nelson's commitment last week to hold Labor to its election promises on workplace relations.
The Rudd Government seized on comments by Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop that the Coalition's policy, after officially dumping Work Choices, would revert to backing laws that existed over the first decade of the former Howard government.
Acting Workplace Relations Minister Penny Wong said Ms Bishop's position was muddled and "at the very least" contradicted the Opposition Leader.
"Does she support the previous government's laws, and if so, which ones? Or does she support her leader's policy, which is apparently to support Labor's policy?" Senator Wong said.
In one of his first policy announcements as Opposition Leader, Dr Nelson last week officially pronounced that "Work Choices is dead".
With Ms Bishop by his side, Dr Nelson then declared the Coalition would be "working hard" to make sure the Rudd Government's proposed legislation to dump Work Choices and replace it with a new industrial relations system was consistent with its election policy.
Dr Nelson even commended Labor for parts of its policy, making no mention of a reversion to support for all the laws that existed before Work Choices was introduced.
But Ms Bishop, the Opposition's spokeswoman on workplace relations, yesterday insisted that the Coalition "remained committed to the pre-Work Choices industrial reforms from 1996 to 2005".
Ms Bishop avoided a series of detailed questions about Dr Nelson's pledge last week, and also about which parts of Labor's industrial relations policy the Coalition would accept.
The Rudd Government has promised to abolish Australian Workplace Agreements, the Howard government's non-union employment contracts, and to restore collective bargaining. It plans to create a new industrial umpire, Fair Work Australia.
AWAs were created in 1997 but under Work Choices, introduced in March last year, they had to meet a much reduced set of minimum standards.
Ms Bishop's position, which she says is based on an Opposition frontbench decision last week, indicates the Coalition will continue to support AWAs despite Labor's pledge to scrap them. It also suggests the Coalition might not back Labor's proposed new umpire.
The Coalition's view on unfair dismissal laws are in limbo, despite Dr Nelson praising Labor's moves last week. Labor is demanding that the Coalition, which retains control of the Senate until July, back its entire workplace reform legislation when it is introduced in February.
A spokesman for Ms Bishop denied any conflict between her and Dr Nelson. But he said Ms Bishop was not prepared to say anything about the Coalition's policy beyond confirming it reflected the laws between 1996 and 2005. "I realise the answer does not address the specific points and questions, however that is her response," he said.
Ms Bishop said "instead of worrying about the policies of the Opposition" she wanted Labor to release a draft of its proposed legislation.
Senator Wong said it remained unclear what Ms Bishop was supporting. The Coalition's confusion was compounded, she said, because the Howard government's workplace laws had changed several times over the decade before Work Choices.
These laws were also different to Coalition policy at the time because of legislation blocked in the Senate before 2005.
Senator Wong yesterday confirmed that Labor wanted Barbara Bennett to stay as head of the former Howard government's Workplace Authority until its abolition in 2010.
The decision is a rebuff to unions that claim Ms Bennett was too close to the Coalition and want her agency wound up.
At a media conference last week, Dr Nelson said the Coalition had listened to voters and respected their decision. He said the Coalition felt strongly about job security for Australian families and support for small business.
"We will be working very hard to make sure the legislation which the Labor Party and Mr Rudd presents to the Australian parliament is consistent with the last stated position of the Labor Party," Dr Nelson said.
"In particular those elements of Work Choices that were adopted by Mr Rudd and his Government - we will be working closely with the Government to ensure those things are implemented as they were stated."
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