Industrial Relations uproar

The recent protests opposing the federal governments changes to industrial relations laws show that many Australia's are upset with the way the Government is treating its citizens in this regard. What is even more surprising is that many people who may not normally support the Labour movement are also unsettled by the lack of legislative safety nets for workers who are in a significantly exposed position when negotiating terms and conditions with their employers. This trend is highlighted by recent comments from Australian Democrats senator Andrew Murray.

"The new federal IR regime is unfair, un-Australian and unwise, and is to the detriment of Australian fair-go values."

There are some workers whose skills are in high demand that can benefit from an individually negotiated settlement, but the vast majority of salary earners cannot. The Government points to the exceptions to try to prove the rule, they also hope that they have encouraged enough workers to set up a small businesses themselves that the constituency for Trade Unions has been undermined. The Australians Democrats have a long history of supporting the rights of workers to fair IR laws, even though they are often more well known as a party that supports small business. A measure of the broad agreement that the current IR laws go beyond a test for reasonable fairness are responses from all areas of the community that the Government is undermining Australia's egalitarian values with such legislation.

Technorati Tags: Australian politics, Australian Democrats, industrial relations

Further support for Biodiesel amendment

In a show of support for Senator Lyn Allison's proposed amendment to the fule tax bill before the Australian parliament, the Coalition Senator Barnaby Joyce says he will cross the floor and support the Democrats amendment to provide greater tax rebates for farmers who purchase biodiesel. This underscores the sense of the Australian Democrats amendments and their general position on supporting environmentally and economically sensible energy policy (as discussed in an earlier post). Unfortunatly, even the defection of a government Senator may be to no avail (and perhaps hints at grandstanding) given that the opposition Labour party intend to support the Government on this bill; simply underscoring the fact that there is no choice between major parties on the majority of issues.

Technorati Tags: Australian politics, Australian Democrats, alternative fuel

Government seeks to further restrict the Senate

The Howard government is proposing changes to parliamentry committee processes that would see the number of Senate committees reduced from 16 to 10 and only allow coalition senators to chair those committees. There are some increases to other senate operations, such as more estimates committees, and the government claims it will save some money, but overall this is an audatious misuse of power designed to stifle the voices of opposition and to disrupt the processes of democratic enquiry. As the journalist Kerry O'Brien noted on the ABC's 7.30 report,

The Government's proposed changes to the Senate committee process has been branded evil by the Opposition Leader and have been widely interpreted as just the latest manifestation of hubris delivered courtesy of the Government's Senate majority... Not surprisingly, Labor, the independents and the minor parties are all crying foul and point to this as further proof that the Government is running from scrutiny - and not just in the Senate

This move even has the labour party crying fowl with Senator Robert Ray calling it an "emasculation of the senate as an institution" and opposition leader Kim Beazley called the move "a systematic display of arrogance and avoidance of scrutiny."

Technorati Tags: australian politics, Australian Democrats, australian senate

Proposed Fuel Tax Bill limits uptake of alternative fuels

The federal government is introducing a fuel tax bill that has incentives on fuels the wrong way around. Instead of encouraging alternative fuels, such as bio-fuels, it is reducing the incentives for them. This will increase the cost of bio fuels and other alternative engery sources and have the duel negative effects of promoting the continued polution of our world through fossule fuel usage, and of harming the already struggling growth of the Australian alternative fuel industry. It is also a hit on Australian farmers who produce the raw products for our bio-fuels. As Senator Lyn Allison remarks:

"It makes no sense to cripple this renewable fuel industry at a time when Australia faces higher and higher oil imports. Australia is a backwater in promoting alternative fuels and this is either a very clumsy mistake or another sop to the big oil companies."

Bad all round it seems - unless you are an oil company.

Technorati Tags: australian politics, Australian Democrats, alternative fuel

Stifling democracy

Since gaining control of the Senate at the last federal election the conservative government have repeatedly limited the time available for the senate to debate legislation. They clearly see it as a rubber stamp on decisions of the executive government and have little interest in listening to proposed amendments that might improve laws. This reveals their disregard for democratic processes of government and a closed mind to new ideas or alternate points of view. As an example of the undemocratic pace of legislative activity, this week there are 25 separate packages of legislation to be voted on in the Senate. Given that a strong senate over many years has been a moderating force against absolute power in Australian parliamentary democracy, it is a shame to see those Senators representing voters and, by implication, the voters themselves across all states of Australia, treated with such disrespect. Bring back a strong and independent Senate to restore Australian democracy.

Technorati Tags: australian politics, Australian Democrats, australian senate

A threat to academic independence

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is a major conduit for the Australian governments expenditure on research. Proposed legislation sets out to abolish the board of the ARC and place many of the powers of the board directly in the hands of the Minister. This places in jepody the independence and autonomy of the ARC, and by implication Australia's academic community. This is part of a trend of the current government to micro-manage higher education, which has so far resulted in higher student fees, attacks on student unionism, and numerous increases in arduous accountability and bureaucratic reporting. It reveals the mistrust the current administration has in intellectuals and an unhealthy wish to meddle in the details of higher education activities where the government responds with knee jerk reactions and rhetoric. The one good outcome of this governments policy has been the increased research funding in recent years, but the governments ability to manage, rather than meddle, in the application of those funds is now going well beyond the setting of popularist National Research Priorities. At least Senator Natasha Stott Despoja aims to fight this encroachment, stating:

"The ARCs reputation, already tainted by the intervention of the previous Minister, is once again being exposed to the threat of additional intervention through the provisions of this legislation... I will be moving amendments to ameliorate the most concerning aspects of this bill when it is debated in the Senate."

Technorati Tags: politics, Australian Democrats, research

Water wise

Australia, perhaps more than many nations, has a limited water supply that is under increased pressure from population expansion and drought possibly exasibated by global warming. In Queensland the state government has proposed to build new dams to help ensure a consistent water supply. While it is a good idea to sure up water supplies one of the dam sites, at Mary River near Gympie, seems to be an odd choice and has struck much local opposition. Senator Andrew Bartlet recently toured the area and concludes in his blog that flooding this area is not a sound plan environmentally, socially or financially. While the local governments in South East Queensland have taken significant measures to reduce water consumption there are still many measures that can be used to make more efficient use of water, such as household water tanks and reusing grey water. If the state government is spend money on water infrastructure then it maybe better spent on water recycling and treatment facilities, repairing and improving water pipes and water ways. While some dams are necessary they are expensive undertakings, and it seems that too often governments look for silver bullet solutions, such as dams, without taking the trouble to find creative, efficient and imaginative solutions. There are some exceptions such as the federal governments community water grants scheme and there are other members of the Queensland parliament that have an e-petition to save the Mary River area from being dammed.

Technorati Tags: politics, Australian Democrats

Renewable power not nuclear power

Australia is in the grips of a revitalised Nuclear energy debate. If only we would spend as much political, intellectual and media energy on encouraging renewable energy sources we might make progress toward a sustainable future.

"The nuclear power debate in not only about economics but whether Australians want a nuclear power plant in their backyard or solar power on their roofs and wind turbines on the hills." Democrats Leader Senator Lyn Allison said today.

The Australian Democrats have long been supporters of renewable energies, and the idea of poluting the world with more nuclear waste that will be around for centuries to come, seems somehow obsene.

It is a pitty that most people might see that we are forced to accept nuclear power now as other carbon fuels run out. It's not too late to look to bio-fules, wind, solar and so on, as Lyn suggests.

Technorati Tags: politics, Australian Democrats, nuclear