Abbott must abide by convention

Date: 31 August 2001

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Arch Bevis called on Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott to abide by convention and not make multiple appointments to the Australian Industrial Relations Commissions only weeks from the beginning of a federal election campaign.

"For some weeks now there has been leaks and strong rumours circulating that Tony Abbott is about to make up to 10 sympathetic appointments to the Industrial Relations Commission in an effort to stack it before the election," Mr Bevis said.

"Such a blatant partisan act would be an absolute abuse of convention in the run up to the election. Until now the Howard Government has cut resources to the Commission and treated it with contempt.

"The rumoured appointments due to be made in the next four or five weeks are reminiscent of the actions of Peter Reith, who made several appointments only weeks before being shifted from the industrial relations portfolio.

"In the interests of ensuring the integrity of the independent umpire, Tony Abbott should give an undertaking that he will not make any appointments to the industrial commission this close to the caretaker period that immediately precedes the federal election.

"Any appointments at this stage will be widely seen for what they are - an abuse of convention and a partisan attack on the independence of the independent umpire," said Mr Bevis

4101

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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