Show us your ethics, Mr Reith

Date: 27 April 2000

ACTU Secretary Greg Combet has called on Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith to repudiate the tactics revealed in the controversial public service negotiating manual Dispute Management.

Mr Reith's comment that the manual was an "ethical framework" revealed the great divide between the Coalition and the Australian people if the Minister found the tactics in the guide acceptable. The guide advises Public Service departments to make false demands and threats, to discredit the opposing side, and to provide statistical 'misinformation'.

"First, Mr Reith tried to pass the buck on this to his colleague Dr Kemp," said Mr Combet. "Now he says this document is an 'ethical framework'. What sort of ethics are we talking about?

"How many Australians support a Minister whose tactics include a seek-and-destroy goal when dealing with public service workers?

"These are Australians who have been negotiating their working futures in good faith. How were they to know Mr Reith had armed their managers with such offensive material. If Mr Reith does not repudiate the tactics in manual, he will become the Minister for Dirty Tricks."

Mr Combet called on Mr Reith to outline the ethics he claimed to support within the document's "ethical framework".

"The document itself describes some of these tactics as 'ethically dubious'. The Australian public has a right to know where the Minister for Workplace Relations stands on this matter - his ethics and the ethics of his advisers are critical in determining the future of workplace negotiations in both the public and private sectors.

"Ministers of the Crown should set an example. Mr Reith's Workplace Relations Act sets out the need for both parties to negotiate in good faith. Mr Reith's support of this document calls into question the meaning of 'good faith'."

For further information

Contact:	ACTU Media Office: Brenda Finlayson
Union:	ACTU
Phone:	0413 507 260
Fax:	(03) 9663 4051
WWW:	http://www.actu.asn.au/

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