
Issue No 13		14 May 1999

News

Cutting Through the Budget Crap

Michael Gadiel won the trip of a lifetime: the Canberra budget lock-up. Here he reports on the sights, the sounds and the smells of a very dull day.

On Tuesday night our grinning treasurer, Peter Costello announced the budget to Parliament - boasting a $5.4 billion dollar surplus, low inflation, 3% unemployment, no net debt by the year 2003 (provided we sell Telstra), a new tax system for a new millennium. The only fly in the ointment was the 7.5% unemployment - locked in for another year.

No large scale employment programs, just work for the dole, involving unemployed people in a six month program for 12 - 15 hour per week and a bailout for the disastrous privatised Job Network..

An insight into the government's attitude towards unemployment can be found buried deeply inside the budget papers - they propose that "amendments to the unfair dismissal laws and the preservation and extension of aged-based junior wages rates are policies designed to overcome restrictions on employment growth". The government claims that further award simplification and streamlining of the industrial system will produce further jobs.

Touted as an education budget, there was no attempt to repair the damage done by past cuts in university operating grants. Instead, a small amount of money was splashed around for medical research and indigenous programs. The biggest education item was an additional $339 million over four years for non-government schools.

Other initiatives in the budget included:

� Work for the dole places were doubled from 25, 000 to 50, 000 involving a commitment of $200 million over four years.

� $7.8 million boost to rural apprenticeships and traineeships with an additional $1,000 incentive payment to employers upon advancement to a higher skill level.

� Allocation of $5.6 million for the conduct of secret strike ballots under Reith Second Wave.

� $400, 000 allocated to re-write the Workplace Relations Act in plain English - which the government claims would be "of particular benefit to small business, many of which have been baffled by the complexity and legalistic nature of the system".

� Employment Advocate to receive $2 million to spend on a national advertising campaign to promote Australian Workplace Agreements and the Government's Second Round of workplace legislation.

� Additional $221 million to be spent on "the prevention, early intervention, education and diversion of drug users to counseling and treatment".

The Treasurer, in his speech to parliament announced that "this is a budget right for these times" - if this is the case it's a bad time to be unemployed, a student, welfare dependent or a low paid worker.

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Issue 13 contents

Interview: Really Caring
Sam Moait will be sending a message from the 48,000 nurses who she represents when she takes her seat at the Drug Summit

Unions: Kicking the Habit
The architect of a trade union drug and alcohol program has revealed his own battle with drugs motivated him to help other workers kick the habit.

History: Remembering BHP: Memory and Industrial Heritage
The announcement of the intended closure of BHP�s Newcastle steelworks heightened the awareness that industrial heritage is more than derelict sites of production.

Review: Ten Songs to Revolution
We ask Labor Council's resident music critic to name the ten songs that define the nineties.

International: Union Lifts Lid on Rio Tinto Shame File
The global campaign against mining giant Rio Tinto has been stepped up with a new report alleging abuses of human rights, environmental and safety standards.

» Unions Warn Carr: Bosses Can�t Veto Second Wave

» Labor Council Backs Harm Minimisation

» Aquilina Urged to Talk as Students Offered Teaching Jobs

» Cutting Through the Budget Crap

» LHMU Demands Y2K Protection for Workers

» Cops Eye Airport Beat

» Spanish Workers Warned on Tax Agents

» Unions to March on Journey of Healing on May 26

» NSW Young Labor Turns 50!