Abbott's contempt for commission

Date: 28 September 2001

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Arch Bevis said today's appointment by Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott of four Deputy Presidents and two Commissioners to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is unprecedented and a disgraceful abuse of convention only days from the beginning of a federal election campaign.

"In what literally seems to be the dying hours of the Government's term, Tony Abbott's announcement is a disgraceful and blatant abuse of convention.

"It is clear that Tony Abbott's parting shot will further undermine public confidence in the authority and independence of the commission in the eyes of all Australian employees and employers.

"In light of the way John Howard and his Ministers have contemptuously treated the commission by starving it of resources and publicly berating commissioners, the timing of this announcement can be seen for what it is - a transparent manipulation of the system and a partisan attack on the independence of the independent umpire.

"Australian workers and employers deserve far better consideration than this type of shoddy treatment from Tony Abbott," said Mr Bevis.

P5001

For further information

Contact:	David Tansey
Union:	ALP Federal
Phone:	(02) 6277 4505
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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