28 September 2006 - Media Release

Evidence to Cross Media Inquiry shows Canberra diversity at risk

I am gravely concerned that the Howard Government’s attempt to undermine Australia’s Cross Media laws will have a negative impact on the diversity of Canberra’s media.

The Senate inquiry into the Cross Media Amendment Bills is proceeding in Canberra today and tomorrow.

In a comprehensive submission, the Communications Law Centre identifies Canberra as a case study of a regional community that may have less media diversity under the new law.

Under the Howard Government’s plan, the number of owners of the media in Canberra could fall from 6 at present to just 4.

The Government says that people in Canberra should accept mergers to allow media companies to achieve ‘economies of scale’ and efficiencies.

This is just code for saying that newsrooms will be merged, reporters will be sacked and local content will be reduced.

Labor believes that the Bills will promote a frenzy of merger and acquisitions activity as media companies jockey to maximise their position in respective markets within the so-called voices test. 

Under the Government's proposal cross media merger will be allowed in Canberra so long as just 4 voices remain.

This test fails to adequately  protect media diversity in the Canberra. 

Here is what the CLC had to say about Canberra:

Canberra (along with Hobart and Darwin) has regional status for the purposes of the Bill. Unsurprisingly, the Canberra Times were interested in exploring what this regional status meant for the residents of Canberra. Hypothetically, Canberra Times merging with Southern Cross TV (Channel Ten) would potentially be one point under item 5; Capital Radio merging with Austereo would potentially be one point; and Prime TV (Channel 7) and WIN (Channel 9) would potentially count for a point each. The Bill does not recognize that by having the local paper potentially share content (due to ownership by the commercial television broadcaster), the quality and diversity of news coverage is potentially diminished in the region. The Bill does not recognize the importance of an independent source of news in a print format. Labor is opposing the cross media bills package as they will reduce diversity in Australian media.

Contact: Taryn Langdon 0417 148 059 or 02 6277 3334

28 September 2006 - Media Release

Fair deal for Australia's leading netballers

Labor commends the work of Netball Australia and the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA), who have been able to come to an agreement over daily allowances paid to players representing Australia.

While the $200 daily allowance is still substantially below the allowances paid to players representing Australia in a number of major sports, the allowance at least begins to cover player's expenses and loss of income while they are on national team duty.

The players can now move forward and concentrate on a tough assignment ahead as they prepare to travel across the Tasman to face New Zealand in three test matches on the 12, 14 and 16 of October. Australia has a good record against their trans Tasman rivals, however it is the Silver Ferns who have had the upper hand over Australia of late.

Labor acknowledges the contribution of the Australian Sports Commission in increasing the allowance.

Labor urges Minister Kemp to adopt the recommendations of the Senate Committee report About time! Women in sport and recreation in Australia to ensure that our elite sportswomen do not suffer financial and personal burdens representing our country.

Contact: Taryn Langdon 0417 148 059 or 02 6277 3334

25 September 2006 - Media Release

Frustrated Cleaners and Stores workers demand Employment Advocate veto illegal AWAs

The LHMU, representing the cleaners and the NUW representing stores and distribution workers involved in the dispute with new Defence cleaning contractor, Serco Sodexho have both identified deficiencies in the AWA’s cleaners have been forced to sign.

The AWAs appear not to comply with legislative guarantees relating to sick leave and public holidays.

Labor supports the action of the Unions who have both written to the Office of the Employment Advocate on behalf of the cleaners and stores workers demanding these AWAs are rejected.

Labor also supports their call for the Office of Employment Advocate to take immediate action to formally disallow the AWA’s that do not comply with the Act.

Serco Sodexho would then be in a position to take the sensible course action and employ the cleaners and stores workers under their existing Agreements or Awards, which is what the vast majority of workers want!

Labor strongly supports the worker's and their representatives call for a collective agreement with the new contractor.

For further information contact Kate Lundy 0419421553,  Lyndal Ryan, Assistant Secretary LHMU 0411643982

24 September 2006 - Media Release

Opals Take Gold and USA Dominance

JOINT STATEMENT- The Hon Kim Beazley (Opposition Leader) and Senator Kate Lundy (Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation)

The Australian women's basketball team, the Opals, created Australian sporting history in the early hours of this morning as they became the first senior Australian basketball team to win gold at the highest level.

The Opals were dominant throughout the World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil and confidently defeated Russia 91-74 in the final.

Labor congratulates the Opals squad, coach Jan Stirling, and most valued player in the final, Penny Taylor, for impressive form throughout the tournament and their history making efforts.

Gold came as a deserved prize for the Opals who have finished in the top three at every tournament since the Atlanta Olympics, but have never been able to clinch the gold until now.

Russia tipped out the USA in the semi final to put the favourites into unfamiliar territory. The USA who eventually took the bronze over Brazil had previously won gold at every major tournament since Atlanta.

Contact: George Svigos  0417 196 83 (Beazley)  Taryn Langdon 0417 148 059 (Lundy)

14 September 2006 - Media Release

Local Cleaners Fight for a Collective Agreement

A group of local cleaners, currently employed on defence establishments in the ACT, have been told to sign an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) or risk loosing their jobs.

Serco Sodexho, the contractor that won the defence cleaning tender, has continued to deny the cleaners a chance to collectively bargain, even though an overwhelming majority want a collective agreement. 

Out of frustration, the group contacted local community leaders to raise their concerns about being pushed off the ACT cleaning award onto AWAs.

“The group made it very clear to me that they do not want to sign an Australian Workplace Agreement in order to continue their jobs, but want to be represented collectively”, Senator Lundy said.

“Collective bargaining achieves higher productivity and wage outcomes than individual contracts.  It helps bring balance to the relationship between employees and their employers.”

“The cleaners request for a collective agreement is more than reasonable. Collective bargaining is a simple and efficient way for employers to negotiate the terms of employment.”  

Kate Lundy, Bishop Pat Power (Auxiliary Bishop Archdiocese Canberra and Goulburn) and Steve Taskovski (President of the Macedonian Community of Queanbeyan and District) wrote to the IR Manager of Serco yesterday requesting a meeting to raise some of their concern on this matter.

The letter is attached. 

 Contact:          Rachel Allen - 0418 488 295  Lyndal Ryan  - 0411 643 982 (LHMU)

IR Manager, Serco Sodexho
PO Box 1861, MILTON, QLD      4064

13 September 2006

Dear Mr. Olsson,

We were recently contacted by a group of cleaners, currently employed as cleaners on the defence establishments in the ACT, concerning their offers of employment from Serco Sodexho.

We understand that Serco have offered some of the current cleaners offers of employment with wages and conditions consistent with the Cleaning (Building and Property) (ACT) Award. We certainly welcome the fact that these cleaners are no longer facing wage cuts.

However, we also understand that there are outstanding issues regarding the nature of the agreements being offered. They have made it clear to us that they do not want to be required to sign Australian Workplace Agreements in order to continue their jobs, but want to be represented collectively and sign a collective agreement.

We believe this is a reasonable request.

Collective bargaining is a fair, simple and efficient way for both employers and employees to negotiate the terms of employment. We also believe that collective bargaining is preferable in situations where a majority of employees desire a collective agreement.

We request a meeting with you to discuss some of our concerns about this matter further.

Yours Sincerely

Contact:          Rachel Allen - 0418 488 295

13 September 2006 - Media Release

Falling IT enrolments bad news for local skills

Despite the Howard Government’s rhetoric about investing in the ICT industry and the apparently ‘desperate’ need for skills, the number of students studying IT is falling.

DEST figures clearly show there has been steady decline in the number of students enrolled in university level IT courses. Since 2002, enrolments in IT related courses dropped from an already low 79,000 to around 73,000 in 2004.

“The drop in students electing to study ICT courses is very concerning. Australia is moving in the wrong direction in this important technology industry”, Senator Lundy said.

The Howard Government has presided over this drop and yet as recently as last month, ICT skills shortages were used as the excuse to move Centrelink’s ICT hub from Canberra to Adelaide.

And yet these falling enrolments indicate that the Federal Government is ignoring an area of potential remedy for this problem!

By ignoring declining enrolments and instead increasing temporary skilled migrants with ICT skills, the Howard Government has got their priorities wrong. 

Labor believes every effort should be made to train, educate and employ locally and only then should the 457 Visa scheme fill the remaining skills gap in order to maintain economic growth.

At the moment, it seems the use of the 457 visa temporary skilled migrant program is removing the incentive for undergraduates to choose a career in ICT, and removing the pressure on industry to invest more in training. This does not bode well for an industry that needs to be the leader in research, development and innovation.

Fewer women choose to study ICT

As the numbers of enrolments shrink, so do the numbers of women entering the industry. The number of women as a proportion of all enrolled in ICT courses dropped from 25% in 2002 to 22% in just three years.

In the run up to the 2004 Federal Election Senator Helen Coonan pledged to promote women in IT and “identify and address the barriers which keep Australian women from participating in the ICT sector”.

With the most recent figures available relating to calendar year 2004 it appears this had the opposite effect in its first year in terms of study choices. Let’s hope Senator Coonan’s policy has a positive effect in 2005! We won’t know until the figures are made available by DEST, presumably later this year.

* Source:  DEST 2002 to 2004 Enrolment unit record files

Women Studying IT - A Shrinking Share of a Shrinking Pie

* Source:  DEST 2002 to 2004 Enrolment unit record files

 Contact:          Rachel Allen - 0418 488 295

11 September 2006 - Media Release

Howard admits workers have no choices under Workchoices

Kim Beazley, ACT Labor Senator Kate Lundy, Member for Fraser Bob McMullan and Member for Canberra Annette Ellis today met with Canberra cleaners regarding their concerns about being pushed off the ACT cleaning award and onto AWAs.

With the assistance of the LHMU, the cleaners know all their options and they want a collective agreement that offers all existing employees a fair wage and job security.

Labor believes that employees ought to have the right to bargain collectively with their employer.

“Collective bargaining achieves higher productivity and wage outcomes than individual contracts.  It helps bring balance to the relationship between employees and their employers”, Mr. Beazley said today.

Collective bargaining is also a simple and efficient way for employers to negotiate the terms of employment. 

As these local cleaners have found out first hand, a major problem under John Howard’s extreme industrial relations laws is that an employer can unilaterally deny their employees a right to choose collective bargaining, even where an overwhelming majority of employees want to do so. 

Following the meeting, Mr. McMullan asked a question of the Prime Minister in Question Time relating to the cleaners being forced to accept AWAs. In his response, John Howard made it clear that under Workchoices, employees have no choices. “It is the right of an employer to decide how to manage his business”, Mr. Howard said.

Contact:          Rachel Allen - 0418 488 295 (Lundy) Margaret Watt - 0438 271 749  (McMullan)

8 September 2006 - Media Release

Women’s Sport Report tabled in Senate

The bipartisan Report of the Senate Inquiry into Women’s Sport and Recreation in Australia has been tabled in the Senate.

It expresses many findings and contains 18 recommendations.

If fully implemented, the Committee is confident a discernible positive difference will be made to the experience of girls and women in sport.

We all agree that greater numbers of women on boards is in the best interests of sports organisations.

The Committee found that setting targets for greater gender equality would ensure that a full range of skills, experience and expertise is available.

The Committee observed the continuing lack of regular women’s sport coverage on Australian TVs and in other media and a key recommendation is that $9 million dollars be invested to get more women’s teams sports broadcast in Australia.

The full text of the Report can be found HERE

The speech I gave when the report was tabled can be found HERE

Contact: Taryn Langdon 0417 148 059 or 02 6277 3334

4 September 2006 - Media Release

Canberra-Bashing Offensive and Inaccurate

Malcolm Farr’s article, ‘Capital Offences: ACT hit by crime wave as the economy collapses’ in the Daily Telegraph, Saturday 2 September, was nothing more than a blatant Canberra-bashing exercise.

Farr’s comments are unjustifiable and unfounded. Not only is Farr’s article offensive to many Canberrans, but the article was rife with inaccuracies.

The Australian Federal Police today confirmed that Canberra is not in the midst of a crime wave, and there has been no marked increase in serious crimes in the ACT.

While the article sensationalised some controversial issues, it selectively ignored many positives, including our lovely environment, the lowest unemployment rate in Australia’s history, the $3 billion worth of construction that is underway in the ACT and that business confidence has been high for the past two years!

Sadly, Farr’s attack on Canberra is nothing new. The Howard Government has engaged in this Canberra-bashing for 10 long years. Farr’s article disappointingly regurgitates the same lines that the Liberals have been throwing around.

Since the ACT Labor Government has been responsibly managing the local economy, the ACT and Federal Liberals have been attempting to undermine confidence in the ACT economy by beating up on Canberra with unfounded allegations.     

I call on Federal and ACT Liberals, and Malcolm Farr, to stop their offensive and inaccurate Canberra-bashing.

Contact:          Rachel Allen - 0418 488 295