Prior to the 2013 election the LNP's policy on the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal was to review it urgently if elected.

It's had two reviews/reports since then - then being 3 years ago.

On 18 December 2015 the RSRT made the pay rates orders, to take effect 4 April 2016.   That's a reasonable amount of time for grownups to be given so as to get their act together.   Grownups in Government, like say a Minister of the Crown and a Prime Minister.

On Tuesday 12 April 2016, that is last night, Senator Cash of The Government started a petition calling on members of the public to sign up to show support for The Government and its hastily cobbled together plan to try to legislate to abolish the RSRT next week.

Just think about this.   Normally concerned citizens start up petitions to let the government know how they feel and if they are lucky legislation follows.

This is the government starting a petition asking citizens to show their support for the  government's proposed legislation.

The LNP Government has had 3 years to work out where it and the community stand on the RSRT.  It's no surprise that the Turnbull Government is now turning to Facebook to find out how people feel on this issue, Australians have heard stuff all from the Turnbull Government because until the last 10 days or so,  it's had no idea itself as to where it stood.   Even now, we've had 3 different positions in 10 days.

Here's the new legislative tool, the Facebook petition and email.

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 08:40:27 +0000

Help us abolish Shorten’s truck tribunal1

XXX

When someone starts a business and takes a risk, when they invest both their time and money to make it a success, the Government should back them.

The Government will abolish the tribunal Bill Shorten set up that will force tens of thousands of owner truck drivers out of business.

On Sunday, I met with owner truck drivers – small business men and women, family businesses – and told them we will stand with them.

We will always back those Australians whose enterprise is securing our prosperity and the economic growth on which our future depends.

We need to put pressure on Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers to abolish this tribunal and make sure that owner-operator truck drivers get a fair go.

But we need your help. XXX, can you help us get the word out about this important issue?

Please click here to share our petition with your friends and family on Facebook.

Thank you for your support.

Regards

Michaelia Cash
Minister for Employment

PS - To show your support for Australia’s owner-operator truck drivers, please click here and share our petition on Facebook.

8 December 2015 the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal made the now infamous orders to come info effect on 4 April 2016.

For 4 months the government appears to have done precisely not a lot.

1 April 2016 - the Federal Court stays the implementation of the rates 

4 April 2016 - Senator Cash made this anouncement about legislation to stop the pay rates taking effect

The Coalition Government has today announced that it will be introducing legislation into the House of Representatives in the week commencing 18 April 2016 to ensure that orders setting mandatory remuneration rates for truck drivers cannot commence before 1 January 2017.

7 April 2016 - Federal Court lifts temporary stay.  Industry applicants to Fed Court announce a proposed High Court challenge

10 April 2016 - Turnbull and Cash announced that if returned to government, the coalition would abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal in 2017

12 April 2016 - The Federal Government starts a petition to support calling on citizens to support the Government in the introduction of legislation next week to abolish to whole of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.

The Petition is hosted on Facebook.   Seriously 

The LNP went into the last election with a promise to ":review" the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.

It was a no brainer that it had to go.   It has done precisely what it was always going to do on pay rates- now Turnbull and the Libs act like they're surprised?

On 15 July 2015 HR Nicholls Society published this article, first presented as a speech at its July 2015 conference in the lead to the 2013 federal election.

The Changing Industrial Relations Landscape in Australia    

The first part of the speech focusses on the effects of Labor's Fair Work Act - this is a handy summary.

The HR Nicholls speech made the case pretty clearly for IR to be front and centre at the next couple of elections.   As you read the following list of issues from the article, keep in mind this was written in  July 2013 while Labor was still in power.

The Grocon Dispute

Another ugly construction dispute that erupted at the Myer Emporium building site in central Melbourne in August last year is an example of why the Construction industry, an important part of a strong economy, requires special attention.

As well as stopping work unlawfully, we hear reports of police horses being punched, of Union officials running down a Manager in his car.

All this because Grocon wouldn’t bow to the CFMEU’s demands to appoint workplace safety delegates at the site from outside Grocon and to fly the CFMEU flags onsite.

Orders from the Victorian Supreme Court to lift the blockade were ignored in another brazen display of disregard for the law.

The Craig Thomson Affair

Over the last 12-18 months the Public has come to learn about allegations of fraud and misappropriation of Union members funds by Federal Member for Dobell, Craig Thomson during his time as the Federal Secretary of the Health Services Union.

150 charges of fraud have been alleged under the Victorian Crimes Act.

This story might be news to the general public, but it is most certainly not news to those who work in the field of Industrial Relations and I am absolutely certain it is not the only time that abuse of power, money or other benefits has occurred in Unions.

Julia Gillard AWU Affair

Of course the Craig Thomson affair was followed by yet another.

The AWU Slush fund affair is an affair which one might say goes to the very heart of the relationship between the Government and the Unions.

An affair that is alleged to be the subject of an ongoing police investigation.

Why are these matters so significant?

Because together they have built a compelling case for greater accountability of the Unions.  One that must not be ignored.

It has made it abundantly clear that we need to look more closely at them, we need to regulate them and we need to increase penalties for wrong doing.

The Government has failed to do more than tinker with the legislation in an effort to make it look like they are doing something without really actually doing anything 

PLAN B

An article written by Ewin Hanna, the Australians Industrial Editor on Saturday 8 June 2013 stated:

ONE autumn night in Sydney last year, Bill Kelty stood before hundreds of union officials and supporters and offered some pragmatic advice about how to prepare for political defeat. 

In that speech Bill Kelty told those Union officials:

“You must always prepare.  Every election had 2 plans.  Plan A for a Labor win and we had plan B if the other side won”  He went on to say:

“we would legislate our gains in advance to make it harder to take it off us” and “we did prepare for our defeat. We sat there day after day working out what we could do if (the Coalition) did certain things”

Well as we reflect on the journey so far and as we continue the remainder of the journey, this certainly provides a poor excuse for the continuous barrage of regulation and imposition on business at a time when they needed quite the opposite.  Quite simply, the desires of the Union put before the needs of the Economy and therefore the standard of living for all Australians.

You can read more at the HR Nicholls society here.

ENDS

The LNP should have been going into this coming election with a well developed IR platform.   It should have been like, shooting fish in a barrel.   Instead they now have something of the air of crisis management bot the.

We reported on the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal as it was taking root.    It was obvious to anyone who car4d to look that it had very little to do with road safety - it says a lot about the LNP that it's taken a crisis for them to act on what should have been a no brainer decision.

This was the Gillard/Shorten government's sop to mates in the TWU.

Labor's legacy - Gillard's ticking time bombs

Apparently for the Chiefs of the ADF the truth hurts.  

The Australian has today published this extraordinary etter from the chiefs of the Army, Navy, RAAF and ADF.

Dear Editor,

Your editorial (“Military no place for tokenism”, 8/4) demands a response. The Australian Defence Force strives to create an environment where all of our people can feel valued and empowered to bring ideas to the table. Our goal is to foster a workplace that encourages ideas, attracts the best talent and creates a sense of pride in all that we do.

You may find that last sentence familiar, because it is almost a direct copy of your company’s statement on diversity.

Diversity is not about identity politics, it is about improving the quality of the workplace; it’s the antidote to groupthink — gaining a wider range of perspectives to make better decisions and, in the military context, enhancing our capability, that often intangible concept that is manifest in the conduct of military operations.

So it is somewhat disappointing that The Australian through a series of reports and editorials over the past few months, finds it necessary to undermine the efforts of the ADF to bring about needed cultural change.

Over the past few years the ADF has made significant change across a wide range of cultural issues. The gut wrenching stories of former and serving members of the ADF through the work of the abuse response task force were born out of one simple thing — a culture of exclusion.

The only way to ensure that these types of events cannot systemically take hold again is to ensure that we have a culture of inclusion. A culture that ensures the needs of various groups within our workforce can be accommodated so they can perform at their best.

As commanders, it matters little to us whether that is due to gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. What matters is that we have a cohesive team that is committed to the task — delivering options to the government of the day, every day.

Apart from our missions around the world, we are overhauling our equipment acquisition processes through some of the most fundamental reforms in the organisation’s history. These activities are not the signs of an organisation “redirecting resources to impotent causes”, these are signs of an organisation that is changing to ensure we are representative of the community we defend.

M. D. Binskin, Chief of the Defence Force 

R. J. Griggs, Vice Chief of the Defence Force

T. W. Barrett, Chief of Navy

R. M. Burr, Acting Chief of Army

G. N. Davies, Chief of Air Force

They have lost it.   What are they thinking, accusing a newspaper of undermining their efforts at cultural change?  They must have pretty fragile systems and processes if a few newspaper articles can send them crashing down.

What were they thinking they would achieve by sending this silly, self-absorbed letter.?  It addresses no mistakes of fact and corrects no record.   It seems to be a request that the Australian stops reporting in a way that does't fit the ADF's PR and spin.   No one in our society is above criticism and we are all allowed to hold opinions and to speak freely.

The ADF is a group of disciplined services where people do what they're told.   It says a lot that its chiefs believe that a newspaper which reports  facts and editorial opinion is capable of undermining their leadership.

Get over yourselves men - you would do better to listen to the criticism than attack the people reporting it.

I'm with The Australian on this - here's the newspaper's response today.

ADF mission must be restored

• THE AUSTRALIAN
• APRIL 13, 2016 12:00AM 

The primary purpose of a national defence force is to defend the nation against enemy combatants. One of the principal threats to Australian security in the 21st century is posed by jihadism and the ideology of extremist political Islamism. Australia is at war with Islamic State, a child-killing, misogynistic and genocidal army inspired by Koranic fundamentalism. We have taken our war against Islamist terror to the Middle East and devoted hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars to defeating the jihadist threat within. Under such circumstances, citizens expect a unified defence force whose sole allegiance is to the Australian nation. Defence force chiefs appear not to have grasped the brief.

In a letter to The Australian today, defence force chiefs lodged their objection to our editorial “Military no place for tokenism”, along with unidentified coverage they consider “undermining” to their cultural change program. It appears they feel undermined by two realities we have exposed. The first is our detailed coverage of Australia’s ailing submarine fleet and the urgent need to manufacture weaponry capable of defending our shores against more militarily advanced nations. The second is our careful exposure of the ADF’s cultural change program, including activities undertaken by the navy’s adviser on Islamic affairs.

As we have reported, the Chief of Navy’s strategic adviser on Islamic cultural affairs, Captain Mona Shindy, has engaged in questionable activity as part of her official duties. Her social media was shut down after she praised Mufti Musa Ismail Menk on Twitter. Menk is a cleric so hostile to Western values he was forced to cancel a tour of British universities after describing homosexual people as “filthy”. Captain Shindy praised him on Twitter as “a source of wisdom”. Other tweets and retweets on Shindy’s account questioned foreign policy, terrorism and attitudes towards Muslim Australians. The profile was created to promote diversity in the ADF.

Under her official title, Shindy also published an article last year replete with contentious statements about Islamist terrorism. She claimed the media “overplayed” Islamic extremism by connecting terrorism and Islam. Instead, Shindy recommended “the word ‘Islam’ needs to be removed from reporting on ISIS/ISIL or Daesh”. She locates the root causes of terrorism in “a strong belief among some members of the Islamic world that certain Western governments and institutions have a specific agenda against them, treat them as ‘second class’, and act in ways and make decisions that compromise their freedom of speech and expression, human rights and civil liberties”.

Such problematic statements are not addressed in the defence force chiefs’ letter to The Australian, which omits reference to Shindy. Instead, it contains a series of motherhood statements praising the ADF’s culture of inclusion without any supporting evidence. Disturbingly, the chiefs describe military capability as an “intangible concept”. An intangible concept might be deployed to fight an abstract war against a postmodern idea but it won’t restore the submarine fleet or deter Islamic State.

The last sentence of the defence force chiefs’ letter states “our mission (is) to safeguard the security of this nation and its interests”. It is time to restore that mission to pride of place.

ENDS

Last word to The Australian's Bill leak.

Bushy writes:

Remember Julia Gillard?  The Prime Minister who shut down Australian media enquiries into the AWU Scandal?

Ask Glen Milne, John Hartigan or Chris Mitchell.   Ask Greg Hywood from Fairfax.   Ask Bob Kernohan about the interview he recorded and the hours he spent with 2UE's external lawyers covering every legal issue.

I was sickened last night to read about the United States media organisation Internews Network Inc.

Amongst the billions of dollars Gillard and Rudd handed out is this little $10M line item.   $10M to bring a free press to Afghanistan!   While Gillard was shutting down and gagging Australia's media.

This is from the DFAT contracts website.

In 2011 The Gillard Government announced one of its endless reviews - this one into the effectiveness of Australian Aid (which is code to the grant seekers for "please tell us how to give you more money").

Surprise surprise, Internews Network Inc, an American company of media trainers puts in a submission telling the Australian Government how to spend more of our money.

Who do you think this valuable independent submission recommended should get our cash?

a.Internews Network?  

Correct!

$10M.   While Gillard shut down our free and democratic press to protect herself and the boss.

This is our foreign Minister Julie Bishop gleefully accepting $1M from the Ambassador for Saudi Arabia.

Maybe he should have put the money towards paying the fines for his drunken dangerous psychopaths who're lucky they haven't killed anyone here - yet.

This is a printout of driving offences committed by Saudi Arabian nationals with Diplomatic Immunity in just 12 months - this list doesn't include those offences which were observed by police but which did not result in a ticketing being issued....read on.

Buckle up for a night on the P15S with a Muslim from the alcohol free Kingdom of Head Loppers.

Here's our Julie with smiley man from Saudi Arabia again.

The lists go on and on and on.

Why do we tolerate these people who have no respect for us?





 

"I wrote the brief for my campaign as I pondered the next step in my personal growth story.  I view this Army as my Army, transformed  by me.  It's no accident that my time at the head of Army starts with my promotion to the highest rank held in the organisation.   And it's no accident that my transition to civilian life has been recognised with the only promotion available to me, my promotion to the No 1 position not just in Army but in Australia.  Alpha Oscar Tango Yankee!

I love this Army and what it has done for me and I make no apologies for my sense of ownership given it was I who changed it so much.

I accept that I am not an advertising guru, I am a mere transformational change evangelist who breathes inspiration into ideas and helps the hopeless fulfil our potential together.  So I asked the ad agency to attend an off-site conference to listen to my ideas about my campaign.  I told them what I think my Army will look like as it fully adopts my diversity agenda journey.

"I wanted to show that I was in touch with my community, the evolving society from which I came and to which I owe so much for the wonderful opportunities I have been given.

"It was I who accepted the challenge of transformation.  Where nature needed my help, I led the organisation that paid for the psychologists and surgeons.  I am grateful for the opportunity I now have to play my part in creating a legacy of my time as the leader of my country's army.

 "I commend my commercial for my Army's soldier for our future.

PS - Parody.   The real thing would be too painful. 

Spanish Inquisition anyone?

http://ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-schneiderman-former-vice-president-al-gore-and-coalition-attorneys-general-across

Make a public statement that questions the Al Gore view of climate change and these US Attorneys General will investigate and prosecute you for fraud.

The dying days of Obama are becoming a year of living dangerously.

A.G. Schneiderman, Former Vice President Al Gore And A Coalition Of Attorneys General From Across The Country Announce Historic State-Based Effort To Combat Climate Change

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today joined Attorneys General from across the nation to announce an unprecedented coalition of top law enforcement officials committed to aggressively protecting and building upon the recent progress the United States has made in combatting climate change.

Attorneys General Schneiderman, William Sorrell of Vermont, George Jepsen of Connecticut, Brian E. Frosh of Maryland, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Mark Herring of Virginia, and Claude Walker of the US Virgin Islands were joined by former Vice President Al Gore for the announcement in New York City. Today’s announcement took place during a one-day Attorneys General climate change conference, co-sponsored by Schneiderman and Sorrell.

The participating states are exploring working together on key climate change-related initiatives, such as ongoing and potential investigations into whether fossil fuel companies misled investors and the public on the impact of climate change on their businesses. In 2015, New York State reached a historic settlement with Peabody Energy – the world’s largest publicly traded coal company – concerning the company’s misleading financial statements and disclosures. New York is also investigating ExxonMobil for similar alleged conduct.

Many of the states in the coalition have worked together on previous multi-state environmental efforts, including pressing the EPA to limit climate change pollution from fossil-fueled electric power plants, defending federal rules controlling climate change emissions from large industrial facilities, and pushing for federal controls on emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry.

All of the members of the new coalition are part a coalition of 25 states, cities and counties led by Attorney General Schneiderman that intervened to defend the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s “Clean Power Plan” against legal challenge. Today, the interveners filed a brief with the DC Circuit Court defending President Obama’s Clean Power Plan rule, which establishes a nationwide framework to achieve meaningful and cost effective reductions of carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants—the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in the nation—and provides states and power plants flexibility to decide how best to achieve these reductions.

"With gridlock and dysfunction gripping Washington, it is up to the states to lead on the generation-defining issue of climate change. We stand ready to defend the next president's climate change agenda, and vow to fight any efforts to roll-back the meaningful progress we've made over the past eight years,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Our offices are seriously examining the potential of working together on high-impact, state-level initiatives, such as investigations into whether fossil fuel companies have misled investors about how climate change impacts their investments and business decisions.”

"We cannot continue to allow the fossil fuel industry or any industry to treat our atmosphere like an open sewer or mislead the public about the impact they have on the health of our people and the health of our planet. Attorneys General and law enforcement officials around the country have long held a vital role in ensuring that the progress we have made to solve the climate crisis is not only protected, but advanced. The first-of-its-kind coalition announced today is another key step on the path to a sustainable, clean-energy future,” said Vice President Al Gore.  

Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell said, “We are happy to have worked closely with New York to organize this meeting.  As we all know, global warming, if not reversed, will be catastrophic for our planet.  We, the states, have a role to play in this endeavor and intend to do our part.”

“The states represented here today have long been working to sound the alarm, to put smart policies in place to speed our transition to a clean energy future, and to stop power plants from emitting millions of tons of dangerous global warming pollution into our air,” saidMassachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. “In Massachusetts, we’re a leader in clean energy and together we’re taking a thoughtful, aggressive approach to ensuring our planet’s health for generations to come.”

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen, said "I am delighted to meet with so many thoughtful leaders to strategize on ways we can protect our citizens from the greatest threat we collectively face, climate change.  I am proud to have worked with them and others in defending the Obama Administration's action to combat global warming, and look forward to discussing how we can best further that important work.  I also appreciate the opportunity to discuss potential future efforts, including the merits of possible joint investigations in this important area."

U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Earl Walker said, “The Virgin Islands, which is especially vulnerable to environmental threats, has a particular interest in making sure that companies are honest about what they know about climate change.  We are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent market where consumers can make informed choices about what they buy and from whom.  If ExxonMobil has tried to cloud their judgment, we are determined to hold the company accountable.”  

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh said, “Climate changes poses an existential threat to Maryland and to the nation. I am proud to join with my colleagues across the country in this important collaboration, and am willing to use every tool at our collective disposal to protect our air, our water and our natural resources. The pledge we are making today can help insure a cleaner and safer future.” 

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said, “As a Commonwealth and as a nation, we can’t just put our heads in the sand because we are already confronting the realities of climate change. Hampton Roads is our Commonwealth’s second most populated region, it’s our second biggest economy, and it is the second most vulnerable area in the entire country as climate change drives continued sea-level rise. State government, local governments, and the military are spending millions to prepare for this challenge, and even more significant investment and resiliency measures will be required. I’m proud to have Virginia included in this first-of-its-kind coalition, which recognizes the reality and the pressing threat of manmade climate change and sea level rise. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to explore opportunities to address climate change, encourage the growth of our clean energy sectors, and build a cleaner, more sustainable future.”

“Taking additional steps to reduce carbon pollution will keep us moving toward cleaner air, a healthier environment, and more affordable energy,” said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. “I look forward to continuing to work with other states to advance the Clean Power Plan, as well as to advocate for a comprehensive portfolio of renewable energy sources and enhancements to energy efficiency programs.”

“Climate change has real and lasting impacts on our environment, public health, and the economy,” said California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris. “California has been a national leader in fighting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and I am proud to join this effort to preserve and protect our natural resources for future generations to come.”

Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said, "Our natural resources are the lifeblood of our state’s economy and our quality of life.  Global climate change demands immediate action and I am committed to using the authority of my office to address the problem in a meaningful way by defending important EPA regulations against attacks led by the coal industry and exploring litigation options that will hold the worst polluters accountable for their actions.”

“Washington is mired by political gridlock. We cannot sit back and watch the dysfunction while nothing gets done, or worse, Washington rolls back the progress we have made in the recent past to address the issue of climate change.  If Washington is not going to step up and recognize the crisis and find meaningful solutions, then it will be up to the states to do so,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin. “As a state that will incur significant negative impacts from global climate change, including sea-level rise and increased flooding, Rhode Island is committed to continuing the fight for common-sense regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other large emitters."

“Washington State has long made protecting our environment a top priority,” Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “A problem like climate change is bigger than any one state. I look forward to working with the coalition on innovative solutions to combat and reverse the harmful effects of climate change.”

“Our office has a mandate to protect the public interest, and this includes ensuring that our community is not negatively affected by preventable climate change. We welcome this crucial state-to-state cooperation to ensure that we do everything we can to fight the causes of climate change regardless of whether the federal government continues to partner with us in these efforts or not,” said District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine.

“We have been impacted by climate change, and we see its drastic effects in New Mexico---extreme drought, increased risk of severe forest fires, and the ruin of our wildlife and natural habitats,” Attorney General Balderas said. “Our efforts will ensure that progress is made on climate change and that the public is fully aware of the effects on the health and well-being of New Mexico families,” said New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas.