Mean and Tricky Again: -

Date: 04 June 2001

HOWARD'S EMPLOYEE ENTITLEMENTS SCHEME NOT GUARANTEED AFTER JUNE 2003

"With the Employee Entitlements Support Scheme set to run out in 2003 it looks more like another sneaky trick than a genuine national plan for all workers.

"Allocation was made last year in the Budget to fund the scheme for three financial years -2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03. This year the Budget papers make no specific provision to extend funding past 30 June 2003.

"Despite promises by Peter Reith, the Government has never put in place legislation to guarantee this scheme. In the parliament on 31 August 1999 former Workplace Relations Minister Reith said:
The intention of the government in respect of our legislative scheme is to work to put a national scheme in place by 1 January .

"Some ninety-one weeks later we still have no legislation - all we have is an administrative scheme that operates at the Minister's whim. How many corporate collapses is it going to take before the Howard Government recognises the benefits of Labor's scheme for a properly funded national employee entitlements scheme?
"John Howard and Tony Abbott may think that their inadequate administrative scheme is good enough but it doesn't guarantee a single cent to workers. Paragraph 17.2 of the guidelines clearly says:
17.2 While the Commonwealth (and the State and Territories where they participate) will normally provide funds they are not bound to do so either generally or in any individual case.

"The fact that the scheme is totally discretionary and that there is no specific Budget allocation after June 2003 leads you to the conclusion that it is all about protecting John Howard's job and not workers entitlements," said Mr Bevis.

For further information

Contact:	David Tansey
Union:	ALP Federal
Phone:	(02) 6277 4518
Contact Mobile:	0416 136 164
Fax:	(02) 6277 8534
Email:	david.tansey@aph.gov.au
WWW:	http://www.alp.org.au

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