 
31 March 1999 - Media Release
National Youth Congress Report launched
Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister for Youth Affairs, along with Senator Stott-Despoja
and Dr Brendon Nelson, will officially launch the National Youth Congress Report, Building
Our Future, at Parliament House today.
The report is the culmination of the inaugural National Youth Congress, held in
Canberra in March, which drew 250 young Australians together to address those issues which
are of fundamental importance to youth.
"Building Our Future is a tremendously important document and the recommendations
adopted by the National Youth Congress should be carefully considered by the Government,
Senator Lundy said.
"The Youth Congress has issued a challenge to the Government - have the courage to
include young people in developing Australia’s future.
"Just as the Government has given a commitment to Roundtable members to involve
them in the policy development process, the Government must commit to listening to the
outcomes of the National Youth Congress.
The Youth Congress’ 75-page report canvasses a wide range of issues of concern to
young Australians, including the environment, education, multiculturalism, youth
unemployment, crime, homelessness, youth suicide, drugs, and the rights of young people.
"The National Youth Initiative has done a tremendous job in organising the
National Youth Congress and overseeing the production of such an innovative and
challenging report." Senator Lundy said.
30/99 Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
The Footy Show must address racism in sport
The attitude of the Footy Show towards Aboriginal AFL star Nicky Winmar shows that
racism in sport is still a major problem that must be tackled immediately, the Shadow
Minister for Sport, Senator Kate Lundy, said today.
"Media identities like Footy Show host Sam Newman are role models in the community
and they have a social responsibility to show that racial vilification of any sort will
not be tolerated," Senator Lundy said.
"The immense popularity of the Footy Show presenters places even greater pressure
on them to act in a socially responsible way.
"The Footy Show incident, involving Mr Newman blackening his face to impersonate
Mr Winmar, cannot be trivialised. Mr Newman should have apologised immediately so that
Nicky Winmar’s reputation continues to be based on his football abilities, not on
whether or not he appeared on a television show.
"How can we encourage indigenous youth to participate in organised sport and
champion it as a pathway to betterment when racism and prejudice are still rife in sport?
"Nicky Winmar, Michael Long and St George Illawarra League star Anthony Mundine
have had the courage to speak up about on-field racial vilification, but unless the
attitude of some people changes, racism will continue to besmirch Australian sport",
Senator Lundy said.
Senator Lundy said that she supports any move by sporting organisations to extend a
racial vilification code to include anyone involved in sport so that this sort of incident
is never repeated.
29/99 Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
Senator Alston: poacher turned gamekeeper
Senator Lundy today criticised Senator Alston for his role in awarding the group 5 IT
outsourcing tender to Advantra.
"Minister Alston has responsibility for assessing a critical part of the IT
outsourcing bids: the industry development component. I am concerned that his interest
extends beyond this official capacity and into his aspirations to maximise the returns to
government via selling off the remaining two-thirds of Telstra," Senator Lundy said.
Shortly after the government announced the IT outsourcing program, Minister Fahey
exercised ministerial discretion and awarded the IT contract for his own department to IBM
GSA without going through a competitive tendering process.
Instead Minister Fahey chose to 'piggyback' the contract on a pre-existing IT
outsourcing contract IBM GSA had with the department of Veterans Affairs. The Government
justified this on the basis that IBM offered greater economies of scale if the contract
was expanded.
IBM GSA is 51% IBM, 26% Telstra and 23% Lend Lease. Telstra acquired its 26% equity
interest in IBM GSA to 'conduct its data centre operations for a period of ten years.'
This involved over 2,100 former Telstra staff being engaged by IBM GSA.
Telstra's annual report states 'Telstra has agreed to pay higher rates and penalties if
it does not purchase certain volumes of services from IBM GSA over the ten year period.'
(1998 Telstra Annual Report, page 13).
"Telstra's involvement in the winning Advantra bid raises questions with respect
to Minister Alston's motivation and role in assessing the industry development merits of
the Group 5 bid (as required in the 'two envelope' bid assessment process).
"Telstra will attain the largest proportion of profits achieved under the Group 5
contract. One of the extraordinary ironies of this process is that the Government, through
their 66% shareholding in Telstra, could actually secure the greatest single return
through the outsourced contract (34%).
The value of Telstra's interest in IBM GSA is recorded at $6 million as at the 30 June
1998. IBM GSA has returned to Telstra a dividend of $8 million in 97/98 and $5 million in
98/99 to date. The value recorded for Advantra on the same date was Nil. (Senate
Estimates: Telstra answers to questions on notice, 26 March 1999).
Minister Alston has long been an advocate of Telstra's plans to diversify business and
move into information services. Given the rise in shareholder confidence as a result of
IBM's profit margins from IT outsourcing, the Minister has a clear conflict of interest in
awarding the group 5 contract to Telstra, which improves Telstra's value in the midst of
the privatisation debate. Success or failure of large IT outsourcing tenders have been
known to affect shareholder confidence.
"The presentation of Advantra by the Minister as an Australian IT SME, when it is
made up of corporate partners with over $200 billion in combined assets is patently
ludicrous.
"This bizarre outcome is at the expense of Ipex, the widely tipped, bona fide
Australian company IT company which went in hard to win Group 5.
"The Government has sent a clear message to every IT SME in Australia that
meaningful access to government work to develop Australian capability is not
possible." Senator Lundy concluded.
28/99 Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
Alston misses the mark…again
Senator Kate Lundy has responded to Senator Alston’s media release today,
criticising Labor’s approach to regulating the internet, as yet another occasion on
which the Minister’s ignorance has led him to miss the mark.
"Labor’s position on internet pornography is well known. We agree that
unrestricted access to pornography on the internet is an issue which government must
address, Senator Lundy said.
"However, I have numerous concerns about the archaic means by which Senator Alston
hopes to achieve this objective.
"In excluding the internet industry from being involved in the formulation of a
Code of Practice, Senator Alston has effectively hijacked this debate for his own
political purposes.
"Labor’s approach to internet pornography is comprehensive, practicable and
engages all interested parties, including industry and community groups.
"It is only through a transparent and accessible process that provides technical
solutions to the issue of making the internet safely navigable, that the best interests of
the community, industry and government will be served." Senator Lundy said.
27/99 Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
Credibility of IT outsourcing program shattered
"The joint ministerial announcement of Advantra's success in the 'Group 5' IT
outsourcing contract indicates the depths to which the government is prepared to sink to
when it comes to justifying a pitiful program." Senator Lundy, shadow minister
assisting on IT said today.
"The government's IT outsourcing program has been plagued with problems including
criticism by angry and frustrated Australian IT companies because the program actively
excludes them from tendering on the primary contracts. To date, only multinational IT
companies have been able to finance the massive bids and win the cluster-based contracts
whilst Australian IT companies have been relegated to 'subbie' (sub-contractor) status and
forced to carry the risk on behalf of the big players.
This sustained criticism forced the Government to scope at least one of the clustered
IT tenders, Group 5, in a way that Australian companies at least had the capacity to bid.
Minister Fahey stated "The government has ensured for example in Group 5, that no
barriers to an SME that can meet the savings and risk thresholds from taking the role as
the prime contractor." (Address to AEEMA breakfast 25.6.98). The Minister spoke
reassuringly about Group 5 offering the opportunity for Australian companies to get
primary contracts. It is common knowledge that Minister Fahey was intending to use the
Group 5 tender to prove his program gave Australian IT SME's a fair go.
"However, despite the recent joint ministerial announcement containing an
extraordinary four references to Advantra being an 'Australian' company, there are serious
questions to be asked with respect to the company's 'Australian-ness'," Senator Lundy
said.
"If a credibility test were to be applied to the outcome of the Group 5 tender,
the Government would fail on several significant fronts. Whilst the Government may be able
to defend the 'on-paper' Australian credentials of Advantra, an examination of the
participants and history of the frought IT outsourcing program to date tell a different
story."
"IBM GSA, who have the Department of Finance and Department of Veteran's Affairs
IT outsourcing contract, are made up of 51% IBM, 26% Telstra and 23% Lend Lease. Advantra
is made up of 50% Telstra, 30% IBM and 20% Lend Lease. Advantra's ownership structure,
unlike IBM GSA, conforms to the Governments' simplistic definition of an Australian
company, opening the doors to winning the group 5 tender.
"There is a gaping chasm between the condescending IT industry development
rhetoric emanating from the mouths of both Ministers, Fahey and Alston, and the harsh
reality of a flawed IT outsourcing program imposed on the commonwealth public sector at
the expense of good public policy and the future of the Australian IT industry.
"Having a government contract is seen as a critical "credential" for
Australian IT companies seeking to export their products and services, particularly to
other governments. Once again the door has been closed to SMEs. This latest debacle has
shattered any remaining shreds of credibility the Government may have had with respect to
IT industry development," Senator Lundy concluded.
26/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
Senator Alston: poacher turned gamekeeper
Today Senator Lundy criticised Senator Alston for his role in awarding the group 5 IT
outsourcing tender to Advantra. "Minister Alston has responsibility for assessing a
critical part of the IT outsourcing bids: the industry development component. I am
concerned that his interest extends beyond this official capacity, and into his
aspirations for maximising the returns to government via selling off the remaining
two-thirds of Telstra", Senator Lundy said.
Very soon after the government announced the IT outsourcing program, Minister Fahey
exercised ministerial discretion and awarded the IT contract for his own department to IBM
GSA without going through a competitive tendering process. Instead Minister Fahey chose to
'piggyback' the contract on a pre-existing IT outsourcing contract IBM GSA had with the
department of Veterans Affairs. The government justified this on the basis that IBM
offered greater economies of scale if the contract was expanded.
IBM GSA is 51% IBM, 26% Telstra and 23% Lend Lease. Telstra aquired its 26% equity
interest in IBM GSA to 'conduct its data centre operations for a period of ten years.'
This involved over 2,100 former Telstra staff being engaged by IBM GSA. Telstra's annual
report states 'Telstra has agreed to pay higher rates and penalties if it does not
purchase certain volumes of services from IBM GSA over the ten year period.' (page 13 1998
Telstra Annual Report).
"Telstra's involvement in the winning Advantra bid raises questions with respect
to Minister Alston's motivation and role in assessing the industry development merits of
the Group 5 bid (as required in the 'two envelope' bid assessment process). Telstra will
attain the largest proportion of profits achieved under the Group 5 contract. One of the
extraordinary ironies of this process is that the government, through their 66%
shareholding in Telstra, could actually secure the greatest single return through the
outsourced contract (34%).
The value of Telstra's interest in IBM GSA is recorded at $6 million as at the 30 June
1998. IBM GSA has returned to Telstra a dividend of $8 million in 97/98 and $5 million in
98/99 to date. The value recorded for Advantra on the same date was Nil. (Senate
Estimates: Telstra answers to questions on notice, 26 March 1999).
Minister Alston has long been an advocate of Telstra's plans to diversify business and
move into information services. Given the rise in shareholder confidence as a result of
IBM's profit margins from IT outsourcing, the Minister has a clear conflict of interest in
awarding the group 5 contract to Telstra, improving Telstra's value in the midst of the
privatisation debate. Success or failure of large IT outsourcing tenders have been known
to affect shareholder confidence.
The presentation of Advantra by the Minister as an Australian IT SME when it is made up
of corporate partners with over $200 billion in combined assets is patently ludicrous.
This bizarre outcome is at the expense of the widely tipped, bona fide Australian company
IT company which went in hard to win Group 5: Ipex.
The Australian Government has sent a clear message to every IT SME in Australia that
meaningful access to Government work to develop Australian capability is not possible.
Senator Lundy concluded.
25/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
26 March 1999 - Media Release
Sport report: Kelly wants to do it all again
The Shadow Minister for Sport, Senator Kate Lundy, today criticised plans by Jackie
Kelly to hold yet another inquiry into sporting facilities and funding, as the Federal
Parliament has already canvassed these issues.
"There is no need for Ms Kelly to be calling for another report on sporting
facilities and funding priorities when she already has a comprehensive report on the
subject sitting on her desk," Senator Lundy said.
Senator Lundy said that a 1997 report by the House of Representatives Standing
Committee on Environment, Recreation and the Arts, Rethinking the funding of community
sporting and recreational facilities: A sporting chance, would tell Ms Kelly all she
needed to know in determining the future requirements of national, regional and community
sporting and recreational facilities.
"Rather than waste time duplicating this report, the Minister should look at what
is already been done in terms of identifying the areas where the Commonwealth needs to be
actively involved in providing better sporting infrastructure and improving access for all
Australians.
"Kelly is making the sporting community very nervous by announcing yet another
sport report.
"I hope that this report will not be constructed in a way that allows the
Government to justify cutting Federal sports funding even further," Senator Lundy
said.
24/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 62300411 or 0418 488295
Alston hijacks Internet industry code
"The announcement by Minister Alston regarding the Internet Industry Code of
Practice was a shameful example of political manoeuvring" Senator Lundy, shadow
Minister assisting on IT said today.
"Since 1995, the Internet Industry Association (IIA) has worked extremely hard to
build the momentum to develop a workable code of practice. Their approach has been one of
open consultation - a process which the Minister, his department and the Attorney
General's Department were all involved in."
"However Minister Alston has undermined this process and betrayed the goodwill of
the internet industry and internet users who were hoping to see a practical, workable code
implemented in the near future." Senator Lundy said. "The ground-breaking code
of practice which has inspired others, including the OECD, has been hijacked by the
Minister."
"The credibility of the Government's proposal is completely shattered when the
technological capability to implement the international aspects of their proposed
regulation is fully analysed. I can only presume Senator Alston knows this and yet he has
chosen this ludicrous position for political expediency, to the dismay of the Australian
Internet community."
The Minister's approach is highly irresponsible and sends a powerful message to all
industry associations that have taken the Government's encouragement to develop
industry-based codes of practice in good faith.
"It is impossible for any administration to completely control on-line content -
the Internet by its nature defies restrictive laws. The challenge for Government is
therefore not just how to protect the community from offensive material, but how best to
create a realistic and workable regulatory framework for managing on-line content and
delivery," Senator Kate Lundy concluded.
23/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-62773334 or 0418 488295
22 March 1999 - Media Release
Rural Internet access suffering
The Government’s treatment of a partially privatised Telstra has perpetuated the
divide between metropolitan and non-metropolitan Internet users and is further evidence
that the needs of rural Internet users are being ignored by the Coalition, Senator Kate
Lundy, Shadow Minister Assisting on Information Technology said today.
Approximately 17% of all metropolitan households have Internet access, compared to just
7.7% of all rural households. Of the 1.3 million households who had Internet access in
November 1998, almost 75% were from metropolitan Australia.
During debate on the Telstra (Transition to Full Private Ownership) Bill 1998, Senator
Lundy questioned why the Internet, the backbone of national and international
communications, is far more expensive in rural and regional Australia than in metropolitan
areas.
"The fact that so few rural residents have access to the Internet demonstrates a
major failure by this government to address the on-line needs of non-metropolitan
Australians.
"The worst outcome would be to allow this Government to proceed down a path that
will disenfranchise not just the current generation of rural Australians from being
involved in the information age, but future rural generations as well.
"Minister Alston has previously stated that the Government will not push Telstra
into ‘uncommercial’ activities, meaning that there can be no guarantees that
rural communities will have the same level of service as their city counterparts.
"Former Telstra boss Frank Blount confirmed last year that Telstra will only
concentrate on the most profitable sectors and that Telstra’s responsibility is to
its shareholdres, not establishing equitable Internet access to the millions of
Australians living outside the capital cities.
"Mr Blount’s legacy is that the levels of rural service have declined across
the board and price discrimination against Telstra’s rural and regional Internet
customers has caused the present imbalance between city and country Internet users.
"If Minister Alston is to have any credibility he should be addressing the reasons
why rural people are not able to access or afford the Internet," Senator Lundy said.
22/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 0418 488295
Report vindicates Labor pressure on Y2K
Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister Assisting on Information Technology, said that
today’s release of the Commonwealth Year 2000 Progress Report demonstrates a need for
more concerted efforts and greater commitment by the Coalition in addressing Y2K problems.
"The Commonwealth report reveals that despite progress in some areas, many
Government departments and agencies still have not yet achieved a satisfactory rate of Y2K
compliance, Senator Lundy said.
"Labor has had to push this Government into providing detailed reports on the
progress of Commonwealth agencies. We successfully introduced amendments to the Year 2000
Information Disclosure Bill 1999 (the ‘Good Samaritan’ legislation) last month
to force the Government to lead by example on Y2K disclosure.
"This latest report vindicates our level of concern about the Coalition’s
commitment to ensuring total Y2K compliance by the end of the year and we look forward to
even more detailed reports on an agency by agency basis from the Government.
"Most importantly, the Government must immediately implement a community based
public education campaign to ensure that all Australians are informed about how the Year
2000 computer problem will potentially affect them", Senator Lundy said.
21/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-62773334 or 0418 488295
Jobs and opportunities lost for innovative Australians
'The Government's decision to award the contract to outsource IT at the Australian
Taxation Office to EDS comes as no surprise to the IT industry, except perhap those who
will lose their jobs as a result' Senator Kate Lundy said today in response the the
Government's announcement of the tender.
'The IT Outsourcing program has been stumbling along attracting criticism from all
parties, including Australian IT companies which have effectively been excluded from
tendering for the primary contracts. This has exposed the Coalition's complete lack of
commitment to supporting the growth of a vibrant and innovative Australian IT industry
sector.'
How does the government intend to manage the impending explosion in the trade deficit
of IT&T products and services?' Senator Lundy asked . 'The trade deficit for IT is set
to blow out from $6 billion dollars to $46 billion dollars in five years, according to the
'Goldsworthy' Report, 1997 and the Government is exacerbating this by sending these
contracts to non-Australian companies. It appears that half the total value of the $500
million dollar contract will end up off-shore.'
'Many Australian IT companies grew from the opportunities Commonwealth IT contracts
offered,' Senator Lundy said. 'Now these opportunities are completely contingent upon the
three US multinationals that have secured the immense and lucrative IT contracts to date:
IBM, CSC and EDS.
'I am gravely concerned that the Coalition Government has abandoned Australian
companies in this critical and dynamic jobs growth sector. Given that 40% of information
technology and telecommunications (IT&T) expenditure in Australia is by government in
one form or another, surely it makes sense to use this purchasing power in a practical way
to support our own, just like the US Administration.'
'The Australian IT sector is strong and only wants to compete on a level playing field
for these contracts, unfortunately the federal government won't give them one. As a
result, jobs will be lost and opportunities for innovation will diminish.' Senator Lundy
concluded.
20/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-62773334 or 0418 488295
Tax Office IT Outsourcing places privacy at risk
'The federal Coalition Government has failed to protect through
legislation the privacy of personal information held by the Australian Taxation Office
before contracting all information technology at the Australian Taxation Office, Shadow
Minister Asssting on IT,' Kate Lundy said today.
'Minister Fahey has let Australians down through his neglect of a very
important community issue: the right to privacy.' Senator Lundy said. 'Even
his political counterparts in Victoria were fed-up waiting for national leadership on
privacy protection and have acted. The Data
Protection Bill is designed to protect the privacy of personal information handled in
Victoria by business, government and other organisations.'
'Currently, personal information about citizens held by the public
sector (government) is protected through legislation (The Privacy Act 1988).
This protection does not apply if the information is held by the private
sector.
There are no legal restrictions that prevent the IT vendor from using
information for purposes other than for what it was collected,' Senator Lundy said.
'Bland assurances from Minister Fahey's office that such assurances are covered in the
contract detail will not be good enough - comprehensive privacy legislation must be
implemented immediately.'
19/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-62773334 or 0418 488295
Government confusion reigns on Y2K
The Government’s confusion over how to deal with the Y2K problem was highlighted
in the Senate this week with two senior Coalition Ministers giving conflicting statements
about the level of information being issued about the millennium bug.
Replying to a Matter of Public Importance (MPI) raised by the Shadow Minister for
Information Technology, Senator Kate Lundy, calling on the Government to provide increased
information on Y2K, Coalition Senator Ian Campbell admitted that there is a "black
hole" on Y2K information.
Senator Campbell told the Senate on Wednesday that there is a "black hole of
information coming from some states—a serious black hole."
This directly conflicted with Information Technology Minister Richard Alston’s
confident claim to the Senate that Australia is "in the top tier and there is no-one
doing any better than we are…We are at the top."
The Government’s confusion follows Senator Lundy’s MPI speech which
highlighted the US Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem report
stating their level of compliance is "poor" and that a lack of leadership at the
highest levels is retarding the compliance process.
"The US Government has admitted that even though they are leading the world, their
Y2K preparedness is poor. Yet we find Senator Alston telling us that we are right up there
with America! Senator Campbell’s comments show that the Coalition is well aware that
there is a lack of information emanating from this Government," Senator Lundy said.
Senator Lundy has called on the Federal Government to embark on a public awareness
campaign to provide honest and transparent assessments of Australia’s Y2K
preparedness in light of the US Senate report criticising the state of international
compliance.
18/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 0418 488295
ASDA Amendment Bill builds on Labor’s efforts to tackle drugs in
sport
The Australian Sports Drugs Agency Amendment Bill, which passed through the Senate
today, will see the establishment an Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee
(ASDMAC) and strengthen Australia’s excellent reputation in sports drug testing,
Shadow Minister for Sport, Senator Kate Lundy said today.
"Labor is proud to have introduced the original legislation in 1990 that led to
the establishment of an Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA), which was a world first for
the establishment of a drug agency under Government legislation.
"Since Labor created ASDA it has proven itself to be worthy of the exceptional
international reputation it has gained.
"In 1996-97, ASDA performed a record number of anti-doping tests. Their success in
preventing the use of illegal substances in sport is such that ASDA estimate that 99 per
cent of athletes have been deterred from participating in banned doping practices since
their programs began.
"Labor is concerned, however, that there is no new funding allocated to ASDA to
facilitate the administration of ASDMAC and therefore its running costs in the first year
must be absorbed into ASDA's core budget.
"Considering the budget cutbacks that the Coalition has imposed on Australian
sporting organisations, the lack of any additional financial commitment to ASDA is
disappointing.
"We would not like to see a situation in which ASDA’s ability to continue
testing national and international competitors is in any way undermined because of
stretched resources.
"As ASDMAC’s primary functions will be to provide expert medical advice with
respect to athletes, members will have to be professional appointees. This raises some
concerns over the powers given to the Minister over appointments and dismissals of ASDMAC
members, and the potential for their politicisation.
"We can only hope that the Minister will exercise these powers with due diligence
and only on the most sound and serious advice to ensure that ASDMAC members are immune
from the politics of sports doping," Senator Lundy said.
17/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 0418 488295
Senator Lundy addresses National Youth Roundtable
Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister for Youth Affairs, addressed members of the
National Youth Roundtable at Parliament House today, telling them that they must not be
afraid to criticise any Government decisions which they believe are not in the best
interests of young Australians.
"The concept of a Youth Roundtable will only work if the Government heeds the
advice and criticism that will emanate from your discussions," Senator Lundy told the
50 Roundtable delegates.
"Your primary responsibility is to be the voice for Australian youth and you must
ensure that you represent as wide a cross section of young people as possible.
"The Roundtable will only be effective if members speak openly and critically
about Government policy. On the other hand, the Government must listen and act on the
advice and comments that the Roundtable proposes, otherwise this whole process will fail
to achieve its goals," Senator Lundy said.
Senator Lundy has also written an open letter to members of the Youth Roundtable urging
them to take an active role as participants in the youth policy development process. (copy
attached)
16/99. Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-62773334 or 0418 488295
Workplace Relations Bill marginalising young people
The Government’s Workplace Relations Amendment (Youth Employment) Bill is part of
a continuing agenda of marginalising and disregarding young people in Australia, Shadow
Minister for Youth Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy said today.
"If you are a young person - and for this Government that means 21 years and under
- then you are fodder to be used up and disregarded, rather than treated according to
competence and ability.
"People aged 18 to 20 years old in Australia are adults for all intents and
purposes, except for pay rates. They are permitted to purchase and consume alcohol, to
enter into contractual financial arrangements, and are both entitled and obligated to vote
in elections. They are adults in respect to all societal regulations, except in respect of
their entitlement to full and fair minimum award wages.
"It is both false and discriminatory to assume that all workers under 21 are
automatically of less value than older workers, and should therefore receive less pay. One
of the problems with this Bill is that it fails to recognise that Australia's youth are at
the cutting edge in many fields - especially in Information Technology. If you look at who
is the driving force behind IT it is young people. They are the programmers and designers,
the Web makers and the data entry operators.
"So if this Bill is passed, it will effectively mean that these individuals, the
young men and women leading the field in IT, could be subject to lower wages than their
less qualified colleagues. It will mean that intellectual property will be judged not or
merit, nor on experience, but instead on the age of the employee in question.
"Instead of waiting for the Industrial Relations Commission to finalise its
report, the Government is proceeding without any care or respect for due process, and they
are marginalising young people along the way," Senator Lundy said.
15/99. Contact: Simon Tatz 0n 02-62773334 or 0418 488295
| 
