Schwarzer waiting for right deal

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Howard re-elected! Workchoices 2 is introduced to the Parliament, It includes measures that reduce all unions to occupational social clubs, all strikes are outlawed and the minimum wage abolished - the employer will decide. All welfare entitlements abolished. Anyone not working will be entitled to unemployment benefits for 6 months, after that you are on your own. Are you ready? Vote 1-Liberal
Posted by: Bill of Tasmania 3:12pm today

Jim C of Hobart, I actually work for the federal government and you are somewhat correct, they do "offer" AWA's but its not forced upon us like it is in the outer APS workforce, and the AWA offers no significant benefit to justify signing an AWA, but the is alot or reasons not to sign one. So you my friend are the one who has no idea what you are talking about and as far as everyone is concerned you are the only one posting diatribe on this forum, in case you dont know what diatribe means you may need to go look it up moron
Posted by: allan of melbourne 3:11pm today

Howard would be one to argue that the abolition of slavery would be bad for the economy. He has no empaty for the aussy battler, you are welcom Keven o7
Posted by: mario Simonelli of QLD 3:06pm today

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PRIME Minister John Howard has said Work Choices is like the GST - an unpopular move in the short term, for the nation`s good in the longer term.

But Labor Leader Kevin Rudd has said Mr Howard needs to come clean on how he would further reform the workplace relations system.

Industrial relations and the debate over debates between the leaders have dominated the first full day of the election campaign, which began with the latest Newspoll showing the Coalition remained on track for the "annihilation" the PM warned of earlier this year.

When Mr Howard announced the federal election date in Canberra yesterday, he said his Coalition Government had showed a willingness over 11 years to make tough policy decisions.

Today he named the GST, Work Choices and the privatisation of Telstra as three examples.

"The introduction of the new tax system, that wasn`t popular at the beginning and there was a fear campaign run against that," Mr Howard said on the Seven Network today.

"And yet that has been of long-term benefit. I believe that changes to industrial relations have been of long-term benefit, when that was introduced 18 months ago the Labor party said unemployment was going to go up, unemployment has in fact come down.

"They are two examples. I also think the sale of Telstra was not popular but I tell you what, the Labor party is not seeking to reverse it.

"They are very happy to say they support the fact that (government) debt has been paid off, even though the Labor party voted against the sale of Telstra."

But Mr Rudd said he was laying down a challenge to Mr Howard on industrial relations.

"On day one of this election campaign I`m laying down a basic challenge to Mr Howard - outline your future plans for Work Choices and Australia`s industrial relations system," Mr Rudd said.

"Mr Howard has said that working families have never been better off - Mr Howard is dead wrong," Mr Rudd said.

"One of the reasons why working families are under financial pressure is because of Work Choices."

He said Mr Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello needed to say whether they would remove all unfair dismissal protection if re-elected.

Mr Howard said, if re-elected, a next-term Coalition government would focus on maintaining Australia`s prosperity and ensuring it was fairly distributed across the community.

"We need to tackle climate change in a very sensible and balanced fashion, and I also think we have to maintain a heavy focus on national security and defence issues.

"There is a danger that we take things for granted, I think we should always remember that we live in an insecure world."

Mr Howard also said he had never promised that interest rates would "never move", only that they would remain lower under a Coalition rather than a Labor government.