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Issue No. 289 | 11 November 2005 |
The Great Repression
Interview: Public Defender Legal: Craig's Story Unions: Wrong Way, Go Back Industrial: WhatChoice? Politics: Queue Jumping History: Iron Heel Economics: Waging War International: Under Pressure Poetry: Billy Negotiates An AWA Review: A Pertinent Proposition
Nobody Expects the Construction Inquisition PacNat Bids to Railroad Future Miners Don�t Dig Safety Levy
The Soapbox The Locker Room Culture Parliament
Convict Costello We're Just Serfin' Take Warning Smells Familiar Howard's Gas Andrews' Operandi To the Shredder Stop Violence
Labor Council of NSW |
News Howard Censors Workers
Liberal Senator Judith Troeth, chairwoman of the committee that will inquire into the changes, has proposed that "experts" be appointed to debate the legislation during the five days allocated for public hearings.
This means workers who responded to calls for submission will not be able address senators.
Wellington Mum, Narelle Rich, who made one of the 5,000 submissions, said more time was needed for a proper debate, as the legislation affected future generations of Australians.
"How could anybody think that it's sufficient time," the executive assistant at a NSW local council said.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow hit out at the short amount of time allocated to the inquiry.
"Even if it takes just five minutes to read each submission from a concerned member of the public, this means each Senator will be reading 24 hours a day for 17 days to get through them all," Burrow said.
Burrow also criticised the Coalition's gag on debate in the House of Representatives.
"These new laws are the biggest changes to Australian workplaces ever and yet the Government is refusing to allow Parliament adequate time to debate their merits."
Last week, the Coalition used its numbers to shorten debate in the House of Representatives to four days, silencing 20 MPs.
"I put it to you Mr Speaker how much debate, how much more debate could this bill possibly require?" the Government's Leader in the House, Tony Abbott said.
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