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Issue No. 290 | 18 November 2005 |
The Long March
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
National Rally Boosts Local Action Boss Likes Women 'Work-Hardened'
The Soapbox The Locker Room Culture Parliament
What lucky country Swimming with Sharks Save Our Culture
Labor Council of NSW |
Letters to the Editor Save Our Culture
May I express my thoughts on the new Industrial Relations legislation the Liberal Government is about to put forward in parliament.
In the last five to ten years the Australian government and the corporate sectors have blindly followed the American work ethic of making the front liners work at breakneck speed and performing a 100 different tasks simultaneously. As a result, the Australian work ethic has changed, as the workplace attitudes of workers toward each other has significantly changed. We all know of our famous Australian attribute of knocking the person who does better than others, but we also possess that valuable, cultivated convention of supporting and looking after each other which has been entrenched by our 'Mateship' ethos. Yet, I have seen a development and general acceptance grow among the less educated and educated, of it becoming the norm to belittle one another or take the 'one up' vernacular to un attractive levels. And this new legislation will only increase this phenomena more so.
While I believe it is important for Australia to maintain a healthy relationship with our American and British friends; I have met Australians who lived and worked in the US and in Britain for a number of years under similar Industrial legislation and they all spoke of how they became disheartened with their work place and the people around them. It affected them to the point where they decided to come back to Australia for a more civil and secure way of life. Like in America, if this legislation is passed the work place attitude will worsen here as Australians will be forced compete against their workmate/colleague and neighbour for their very lively hood. Sadly this will filter through to their social lives as their attitudes will gradually mould toward fighting each other both psychologically and physically. Indeed it will encourage a 'dog eat dog', heartless, every man for himself attitude that will not benefit but poison our great lifestyle and society. To the point whe! re violence, theft and drug trafficking will only increase. I am certain this new legislation will only erode the very core of what is so attractive to the rest of the world to be Australian. Infact, it is un Australian.
Thus, I put it respectfully to you 'is this dog eat dog' attitude really what you want? Lincoln Coull Seacliff SA
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