Hockey rejects Labor criticism of IR ‘propaganda’
The Federal Government has dismissed Labor’s criticism of its advertising campaign on WorkChoices.
Today’s newspapers feature full page advertisements promoting the industrial relations (IR) laws, including the changes announced yesterday.
The Government has moved to scale back the laws, introducing a fairness test for low and middle income workers to ensure they are adequately compensated for losing award conditions on workplace agreements (AWAs).
Labor’s deputy leader Julia Gillard says the Government should not be spending taxpayers’ money on what she calls propaganda.
“Mr Howard has already ripped $55 million off Australian taxpayers to pay for advertisements for his extreme industrial relations laws,” she said.
“Today he’s back at it again with his hand in the purse and the wallets of Australians taking their money for advertisements that are just pure political propaganda.”
Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey defended the spending of taxpayers’ money, but did not say how much the latest campaign cost.
“This is not about some sort of spin. This is what is actually happening,” he said.
Instead, Mr Hockey focussed on the ALP’s IR plans.
He says under Labor, unions would be able to charge non-members a fee if they benefited from union negotiated agreements.
Secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) in Western Australia, Kevin Reynolds, says it is a fair idea.
“If workers are going to accept the benefits of collective agreements they should either be in the union, and if they’re not in the union they’ll be charged a fee,” he said.
“We don’t support freeloaders.”
Mr Hockey says the plan is outrageous.
A spokesman for Labor leader Kevin Rudd says a fee would only be allowed if there was agreement between workers and employers.