Union campaign exposes LNP plan for more cuts Aug 28, 2013 IN THE MEDIA NEWS Queensland unions are calling out Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman on their plan to hide further cuts to workers’ rights until after the federal election. Queensland Council of Unions President John Battams says an advertising campaign launched today highlights how the Newman LNP government is deliberately delaying more bad decisions, especially workers’ compensation. The advertisement in the Courier Mail calling on the Newman LNP government to come clean on workers’ comp before the federal election. Mr Battams says workplace health and safety and workers’ compensation are all in the firing line after September 7. He said the Newman government is deliberately delaying unpopular decisions on rights at work like workers’ compensation until after the ballot so as not to damage Abbott’s electoral prospects. Mr Battams said he had information that indicated journey claims and common law claim rights would be attacked after the federal election. “It appears as though Tony Abbott has been in Campbell Newman’s ear and told him to keep major changes to workers’ comp and health and safety until after the election so workers are kept in the dark about the LNP’s plans. “Their aim is to have coast to coast LNP governments so they can implement their IR agenda.” Mr Battams urged the state government to state its intentions clearly before the election. The QCU wrote to the Newman LNP government last week seeking a guarantee that current workers’ compensation scheme coverage would be maintained but Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie has refused to respond. “The Queensland government has already had more than 90 days to state that it agrees with its own parliamentary committee and maintain workers’ compensation coverage. “This refusal can only be seen as a stage-managed attempt to hide another attack on workers and communities until after the federal election,” Mr Battams said. Other LNP decisions deferred until after the federal election include announcing final decisions on school closures, and the wide ranging Keelty report into Queensland’s emergency services. “It’s straight from the playbook that Newman used for the state election – telling workers to ‘trust him’ and then cutting 14,000 jobs,” he said. “Tony Abbott is now saying ‘trust me’ which is copycatting Campbell Newman’s approach. “Queenslanders have already been bitten. They know a vote for Tony Abbott is a vote for even more Campbell Newman-style attacks on workplace rights.”
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 12:25:10 +0000
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