The Coalition's use of its Senate majority - including by pushing through Work Choices without a mandate - will lead to it losing control after the next election, according to renowned election analyst Malcolm Mackerras. This would give a Rudd Labor Government a chance of repealing the laws and passing its own, and would rob the Coalition of the ability to block Labor's plans.
Employers are "snapping up workers" because they’ve never been a bigger bargain, according to consultants Access Economics' quarterly Business Outlook report for the next five years released today.
Labor has dismissed Coalition claims that it and unions are spending $100m in their campaign against Work Choices, while Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey put out a statement late today saying he is not planning a further wave of IR change, after earlier in the day saying no Government could afford to "rest on its laurels" on economic reforms, including those targeting the workplace.
The two-day meeting of education ministers in Darwin has ended, as expected, with a rejection by the Labor states and territories of the Federal Government's proposal for performance pay for teachers.
In a crucial ruling, a Federal Court full bench has this afternoon found that Work Choices covers the field and that the NSW IRC has no power to conduct its inquiry into Tristar.
An aged care facility has failed to convince the AIRC that its sacking of a manager for alleged bullying fell within Work Choices' broad "operational reasons" exemption.
Prime Minister John Howard today maintained there was a direct link between Work Choices' abolition of unfair dismissal laws and the latest unemployment figure of 4.5% - a claim the Opposition said was "ridiculous".
Nearly 10,000 public servants throughout the ACT will receive a 12% pay increase over the next three years in a deal that also strengthens employees' entitlement to part-time work after having children and increases paid "bonding" time for new parents.
Shadow IR Minister Julia Gillard has attacked the Howard Government for expecting employer organisations to support paid advertising to back Work Choices in return for $20m in public funding, while she says the Government isn't likely to tell the public the truth about its post-election IR plans.
The AIRC has refused an ASU application for orders to enforce its right of entry conditions at the Australian Tax Office, after finding the employer was not seeking to prevent the union from exercising its inspection rights.
