2012 Media Releases

The Newman government’s announcement today of a job cuts cap of 14,000 means it has finally recognised union and community outrage over its slash and burn policies.

Premier Newman's retreat this week on the number of Queensland job cuts that are necessary is a reaction to plunging public support and business sentiment, and the lack of a real plan for Queensland.

Concerns exist for Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme as the Newman LNP Government puts it under the microscope, according to Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) President John Battams who will head up a forum on the subject today.

The LNP Newman government announcement that it is moving Queensland’s Labour Day holiday continues its vindictive and petty attitude towards Queensland workers, unions say.

Queensland is falling behind in Australia’s employment race as the LNP government job cuts start to bite.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released today show that Queensland’s jobless rate of 5.8% is now the highest on mainland Australia.

Union delegates across the state have tonight overwhelmingly supported a "thousand day campaign" to defend Queensland workers and communities against LNP government cutbacks.

The Queensland Council of Unions has called on the LNP government to respond to claims that some public service chiefs are being paid performance bonuses or other incentives for sacking or “booting out” workers.

The QCU has questioned Campbell Newman’s commitment to the state’s workers compensation scheme in light of his rejection of Queensland participation in the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Changes are needed to Australia’s workplace laws to force large corporations to take responsibility for their entire workforce, say unions. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the recently-settled dispute at the Coles National Distribution Centre at Somerton had highlighted the ways large companies have been contracting out their workforces to shield themselves from any responsibility for their pay, conditions or job security. Read the full release.

Unions will today seek equal time in the State Industrial Relations Commission to counter misinformation to be presented by the LNP Government.

LNP government plans to spend at least $300,000 on a High Court challenge against the mining tax is a double blow to jobless Queenslanders and community groups.

Aboriginal elders Paul and Arthur Ah Wang still want justice for their stolen wages.

Leading Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander unionists will be recognised for outstanding achievement at the annual Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) NAIDOC event.

The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) has strongly condemned today’s announcement that Premier Campbell Newman may cut up to 20,000 jobs from the public service.

The Queensland Council of Unions says today's first Costello austerity audit will be used to justify further public sector sackings and threaten fragile economies in regional areas.

QCU President John Battams says cutting permanent and temporary public sector jobs will take
billions out of the state economy, and have a huge impact throughout Queensland.

The LNP has already announced that it will slash $1.5 billion from the state's economy through cutting up to 20,000 temporary public sector jobs, That figure is now expected to increase with permanent public sector workers possibly facing the axe after today's Report release.

"This LNP government needs to take a measured view of how Queensland uses debt to grow. Much of the current debt was taken up to build long overdue infrastructure like schools, roads, bus ways, bridges and hospitals. It has been absolutely necessary for the future of the state," Mr Battams said.

"Every government, and just about every corporation and household borrows money to grow and develop. It's how governments build hospitals, how companies buy equipment, and how families become home-owners.

"Now is not the time to be senselessly slashing budgets to look tough. It's not responsible.
Queensland is now on the verge of an economic boom where state revenues will increase in the
coming years.

"Queenslanders need jobs and employment to survive, they need schools and hospitals and skilled people to make sure they are run efficiently, they need workers spending to power healthy regional economies," he said.

Thousands celebrating Labour Day across the state shows continuing strong community support for unions as they fight for a ‘fair go’ for Queenslanders.

Vulnerable people would be left without a safety net and the longstanding Australian tradition of egalitarianism and a fair go would be ditched under a Coalition plan to help the wealthy at the expense of the poor, say unions.

ACTU President Ged Kearney said Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey’s proposal to cut support programs for Australia’s most vulnerable people shows the Liberal Party is completely out of touch and clueless when it comes to social and economic justice.

“The Liberal Party’s Dickensian 19th century approach to social justice is in complete contrast to
community sentiment,” Ms Kearney said.

“Unlike Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party, most Australians recognise that many in our community need greater support in order to overcome unemployment and be able to contribute to the nation’s economy. Many welfare payments in Australia, including the Newstart allowance, are barely enough to survive on.”

Ms Kearney said Mr Hockey was either wilfully misleading or ignorant about the true state of Australian public social spending.

“At 16% of GDP, Australian public social spending is lower than the vast majority of OECD countries, including the United States,” Ms Kearney said.

“The biggest component of our social spending is on health, so if Joe Hockey wants to significantly reduce Australian social spending, this would have to involve large cuts to Medicare and pensions.

“We know the Liberal Party is champing at the bit to take away workers’ rights and now we have evidence it is also gearing up to take away the rights of those who are not fortunate enough to even be in the workforce.

“Smart leaders know that there are real and complex reasons why people are on welfare and that cutting the support and telling them to ‘go it alone’ is no solution.

“All that will do is further grow the divide and entrench generational poverty among those who are capable of turning their lives around, as long as they have support to do so.”

In its submission to the 2012-13 Federal Budget, the ACTU has called for the Newstart Allowance to be lifted to parity with the Age Pension.

The first step should be to increase the single allowance, which 60% of recipients receive, by $47.82 a week to $282.67 a week.

“The Newstart Allowance for a single person is currently disgracefully low at just 18% of average weekly ordinary time earnings,” Ms Kearney said.

The Queensland Council of Unions has responded positively to today’s initial meeting with new Premier Campbell Newman.

The Queensland Council of Unions says the federal government failed to consult widely in the Logan and Rockhampton communities before including these regions in expanded income management plans.

The Queensland Council of Unions has today withdrawn its support for Katter’s Australian Party over its recent television advertisements and threats to repeal the current civil unions legislation.

The future working life of Queenslanders finally comes under the spotlight at a major industrial relations public election debate today.

Queensland workers will tell a national inquiry today how insecure work arrangements are major factors in financial hardship for working families and the widening gap in Australia’s two-speed economy.