Lateline has just featured an interview with Queensland Senator-elect Barnaby Joyce from the National Party [transcript should be up in a few hours]. Joyce earlier backed up comments on Howard’s IR legislation by Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg:
But Queensland Nationals senator-elect Barnaby Joyce, who will give the Government control of the Senate when he takes his seat on July 1, says a single system is not in his state’s interests.
Mr Joyce said his vote could not be taken for granted.
“It’s cutting across of states’ rights,” Mr Joyce told Channel 9.
“You can’t just make an automatic presumption that we’ll be voting for everything that’s floated down the line to us.”
Queensland Nationals leader Lawrence Springborg called on Mr Joyce to oppose the plan, saying the existing system had the best of both worlds, allowing workers to opt to be under state or federal jurisdiction.
“I cannot see any reason for throwing the baby out with the bath water,” Mr Springborg said.
Mr Springborg is the second state opposition leader to oppose Mr Howard’s plans, after West Australian Liberal leader Matt Birney warned it would give too much power to any future federal Labor government.
The Queensland IR system has a strike rate a third of that in Victoria (where the Federal Workplace Relations Act has applied since Kennett ceded powers to the Commonwealth), a non-legalistic model with an emphasis on conciliation, and innovative provisions on employment minima, award review, and importantly gender equity. Historically, when the Coalition has been in power in Queensland, the Nationals have supported a strong role for the QIRC, in addition to their opposition to privatisation of state owned entreprises and downsizing of the public service.
Joyce is certainly correct to say that he has a duty to the people of Queensland which transcends any loyalty he might have to the PM (and the circumstances of his election and in particular the role of Senators Brandis and Mason probably mean that he is not overly enamoured of the Liberal Party, who are not in coalition with the Nationals in Queensland).
I certainly hope once he has examined the bill that he decides to oppose the centralising hubris of the Prime Minister.
Haaaaaaaaaaheehooooooo!
Im starting to enjoy Joyce’s work. One of the joys of QLD is the occasional rogue the Right throws up in the nether regions of the state. Think Katter for starters. All that old Joh era anti-Canberra hype really works out there. Unlike NSW, some of them are still old-style Nats: big state needs a big government, to build roads and telecommunication out to the man on the land, economic rationalism be buggered, state rights and wheat boards. Seems almost progressive. Just dont get em talking about social issues.
Katter never carried through on his threat to walk backwards to Cloncurry if there was a single gay man living in Charters Towers. Yeah - Just dont get em talking about social issues.
Joyce is all talk, no action. I realise he can’t yet but I don’t believe he will vote against any Coalition policy. It’s politically unwise but its wise in just about every other aspect. I suppose if he makes some good amendments that could count.
I don’t know, Vee, he’s way out on a limb if he doesn’t back his talk with action. And there’s a lot of hostility in Qld between the Nats and the Libs.
Yeah, if he was a Nat from any other state Id agree Vee. But they make ‘em ornery up there. Katter didnt make his name by being a liberal party yes man. Neither did Bjelke. These are his roles models (Except he’s more articulate than both). I say watch this space.
Doesn’t look like there is going to be a desired result
Yes, old Barnaby’s been a big disappointment, Vee.
The process on Telstra, and his support for Government tactics in the Senate, have been appalling on top of everything else.
Yeah, just wanna say sorry about the trackback remark and hence the double post - I thought I turned trackback off but maybe it still works for old posts.