The Australia religious right wing Howard Government are introducing
industrial relations reforms that will basically give bosses to fire anyone
at any time for no reason and remove every right that Australian workers
have gained over the last 25 years. Understandably they have received
criticism for this, but a government minister has defended the reforms by
saying the are CHRISTIAN reforms....so I guess that makes it all ok!

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Minister-defends-new-industrial-laws/2005/05/31/1117305622276.html?oneclick=true

Minister defends new industrial laws
By Misha Schubert
Political Correspondent
June 1, 2005

Government plans to dramatically rewrite industrial relations laws were in
line with Christian principles, Employment Minister Kevin Andrews said
yesterday.

Mr Andrews, a staunch Catholic, was defending the reforms against sharp
criticism from some church leaders. The reforms were driven by a belief in
economic inclusion for the jobless, Mr Andrews said.

"It's quite clear to me that the ethical core of the Christian thought about
employment is the principle that every person who is capable, and wants a
job, should have the ability to get a job," he said.

But Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Greg Combet said the
changes were a direct affront to Christian values.

"These laws will cause tremendous hardship for the lowest-paid people in the
workforce; the people who have the least bargaining power will suffer most,"
Mr Combet said.

"How is that commensurate with Catholic social beliefs and wider Christian
values? It must trouble a person's conscience."

Prime Minister John Howard last week revealed sweeping industrial reforms
that would strip millions of workers of legal protection from unfair
dismissal, change the way minimum wages are set and make it easier to strike
industrial agreements.

Unions and the states have threatened a High Court challenge to the plans in
a bid to limit Commonwealth powers.

But Mr Andrews yesterday said the Government had gained legal advice and he
was confident the reforms would survive.

"To the extent that one can ever be confident of what a High Court does - it
is an independent body - I am confident of that advice," he said.

His comments came as Liberal backbencher Wilson Tuckey slammed Queensland
Nationals Senator-elect Barnaby Joyce as an idiot for questioning the
reforms.

"The people who have the least bargaining power will suffer."
Greg Combet, ACTU secretary

Mr Joyce, who will become part of the Government's new Senate majority on
July 1, said a national system was not in Queensland's interests.

Mr Tuckey said Mr Joyce should "start using his brains before he puts his
mouth into gear".

But Mr Joyce hit back. "Wilson Tuckey's not in my party, he's not in my
state, there are times I think he's not on my planet," he said.

On Friday, Mr Howard will ask the states to hand industrial powers to the
Commonwealth.



--
Clayton The Lord Of The Eternally Changing Name
AA# 1861
EAC Executive Officer In Charge Of Squandering And Wasting Valuable
Resources
"Religion is like horse laxative....if you swallow it, you'll be left
feeling empty and have a huge pile of ***** to deal with!" - Clayton