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Issue No. 303 | 21 April 2006 |
Brand Spanking
Interview: Head On Unions: Do You Have a Moment? Industrial: Vital Signs Economics: Taxing Times Environment: It Ain�t Necessarily So History: Melbourne�s Hours Immigration: Opening the Floodgates Review: Pollie Fiction Poetry: The Cabal
Control Freak Turns Hand to AWAs �Clean Start� Sweeps Into Action Fleas Leave Andrews Scratching The $130 Question: What is He On? Apprentices Assume Missionary Position Rights At Work Worth Playing For
Politics Politics The Soapbox Postcard The Locker Room Obituary
Lying Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them II What Tax Cuts? Belly Says It�s Time A Word Of Warning Stop Mexican Revolution Well That Clears That Up Then
Labor Council of NSW |
Tool Shed The Thinking Person's Idiot
***** It's a good thing Heather Ridout doesn't work for a living or she may be alarmed by her own advice. The brains trust for the bosses' union, the Australian Industry Group, was released from whatever institution is holding her these days to share her intellect with us. Thankfully that didn't take long. Heather is sick of Australia being a wealthy egalitarian nation. She's had an absolute gutful of a fair days pay for a fair days work. In fact, Heather is spewing that people who didn't go to the very best schools have a job at all! Those that thought that having to pay people stuck in Ridout's craw were wrong, it's the fact that they've got a job to start with which is annoying her. Luckily for her she has come up with a solution; abolish the manufacturing sector. This will free up more capital for her and her mates to get back to the really productive business in Australia, buying and selling each other's waterfront homes and yachts. After all, what better for a country with a corrupt government and an income source that stems from digging up rocks and growing things than to just throw in the towel and become a third world country. Luckily this won't affect Heather or any of the other oxygen thieves down at AIG, after all, they are protected by the law of nature that says that rich people should never have to suffer from decisions of their own making. We've seen the brilliant minds that populate the corporate sector in Australia; from HIH, to One.Tel to the AWB; and now know that, when these people open their mouths, most working Australians instinctively check where their wallet or purse is. It's certainly a novel idea, that punting 40,000 jobs a year is a good thing. Using Heather's redoubtable logic we may as well shift the whole country offshore. After all, where most classical economists talk of the hidden hand of market, trickle down effect and producers manufacturing widgets, Heather is one step ahead - she's abolished the widget entirely. Ridout lays great faith in a future steeped in research and development. Unfortunately for Heather, R&D involves both venture capital and a brain, both completely lacking from the monied classes in this neck of the woods. It would be curious as to exactly what Heather thinks we should be researching and developing, considering that 100% of R&D in this country has traditionally been done in public enterprises like Telecom and in publicly funded universities and the CSIRO. Unfortunately all of these institutions have either been taken out behind the shed and shot or are sleeping on a bench in Belmore Park. Maybe she thinks we should be researching whether or not Verve Cliqout, Yellowglen or Moet is an acceptable sparkling white to serve at Kirribilli? And what's most curious of all is Heather's desire to punt 40,000 jobs as, after all, isn't her beloved WorkChoices legislation about creating jobs? Or can't she recall? ***** All those who have placed their orders for their Decks Of Tools will be receiving information via email this week. This is your last chance to order your limited edition and attractively packaged deck of tools for the bargain basement price of $10 by emailing [email protected]
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