|
Issue No. 146 | 26 July 2002 |
Crean-ite Is Not A Dirty Word
Interview: Trans Tasman Cole-Watch: The Full Story Unions: The Right To A Life Bad Boss: Phoenix Rising Politics: The Virtuous State International: The Champions History: Mandatory Mums Corporate: Network Governance Review: Navigating The Doublespeak Satire: Hector The Galah Found Hiding Poetry: Eight Days a Week
League to Blow Whistle on Sweat Shops Rados Shames Ruddock Into Action Virgin Contracts Spark Wage Rage Big Tobacco Turns to Union-Busting Athens Workers Pay Ultimate Price Cranes At Risk in �August Winds� Abbott�s Savings To Cost Workers
The Soapbox The Locker Room Postcard Week in Review Bosswatch
Kangaroo Court Horrifies Reader Site Reunites Redundant Workers Carr Off Course The Banners of Greed Join The Party Shocks and Stares
Labor Council of NSW |
Editorial Crean-ite Is Not A Dirty Word
Don Watson's compelling account of the Keating years portrays the disdain within the PM's office for Simon Crean's conviction that Labor governments should use the levers of economic policy to nurture industry rather than let the system run itself. But a decade on, and now struggling under a conservative government that has even less imagination and less desire to hold the corporate world to account, the Crean-ite agenda has a new resonance. As the Australian electorate tires of the excess of global capital and continues to wait for the benefits to trickle down to them the ALP finds itself with a leader with a proven track record of moulding economic policy to develop industries and create jobs. As ACTU President and later as a Minister, Crean championed industry policies that put responsibilities on all the players - workers, employers and government - to develop sustainable businesses, not just bubbles to be raided by opportunistic wide-boys. Yes, Simon Crean comes to the Labor leadership with a history, but it's not one he should be ashamed of. It's about imagining a smarter way of doing government. Maybe that's why Howard and Abbott are so desperate to lure Crean into conflict with the union movement, they know that his prior relationship with and understand of reform from the view of working people is his greatest asset. The sooner Labor gets past this bogus 'modernisation' debate the sooner it can get to it and develop some policies that expose the Howard mob for the heartless, gutless, unimaginative mob they are. While they sit back and watch their precious free market crumble under the irrefutable logic of its own greed, there is a golden opportunity to develop plans that foster industry and create decent jobs. It is the Crean-ite agenda that the pointy-heads in Keating's office rubbished to their eternal chagrin. More sophisticated than free markets, more thoughtful than the Third Way it is what voters are crying out for: a plan to advance Australia's interests. C'mon Simon, There's no need to be ashamed. You're union. And you're a Crean-ite. Peter Lewis Editor NB - We're giving ourselves a winter break - reasonable hours and all that! We'll be coursing a cross the Net again on August 9. Till then, keep tabs on all the latest union news on LaborNet - http://www.labor.net.au
|
Search All Issues | Latest Issue | Previous Issues | Print Latest Issue |
© 1999-2002 Workers Online |
|