‘A Man who was told he would be sacked if he took time off
work to attend the birth of his child is among 15,000 callers to a NSW
government hotline in the wake of the federal government's workplace reforms. 

The Fair Go Advisory Service,
open for just four weeks, had primarily received calls from workers who had
lost entitlements, NSW Industrial Relations Minister John Della Bosca said. 

"A number of those calling
had been dismissed without notice or explanation, and many more were facing the
sack if they complained about contracts that stripped away award wages,"
Mr Della Bosca said. 

"We are doing all we can under NSW laws to protect
and support workers but it's clear Work Choices has made it (a) free-for-all
for many unscrupulous employers”. 

The advice line is a hotline for
information on current awards and a checklist of issues to consider before
signing Australian Workplace Agreements.’ 

15,000 Worried
Workers Call Hotline

Beazley 'perfectly healthy'

"It's just a flesh wound"

from the ABC

AWB scandal hits Govt's standing
Labor is more popular than the Federal Government on a two-party basis for the first time this year, according to polls published in today's Fairfax newspapers.

The scandal surrounding AWB kickbacks to the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq appears to have affected the standing of both the Government and the Prime Minister, John Howard.

The AC Neilsen research shows Labor has a slender 51 per cent to 49 per cent lead over the Government on a two-party preferred basis .

On primary support, the Coalition remains on 43 per cent while Labor's vote is up one point to 38 per cent.

Less than half of those polled approve of Mr Howard's performance, a drop of seven points.

Almost three-quarters of the respondents who knew about the Cole inquiry into the AWB kickbacks believe the Government knew about the bribes.

Of those, 48 per cent had a less favourable view of the Government.

However, Labor leader Kim Beazley has failed to convert the electoral angst over the scandal into personal support.

Less than one-third of people polled approved of his performance - a drop of two points to 30 per cent and his worst ever result.

read more at the ABC

From the ABC
Beazley shrugs off poll results
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has brushed aside a new opinion poll which shows his personal approval rating has fallen to 30 per cent - an all-time low.

The AC Neilsen poll has found support for Mr Beazley's performance has dropped two percentage points, although his rating as preferred prime minister has risen five points.

Mr Beazley says he has changed his style since becoming Opposition Leader for a second time.

He has told the Macquarie Radio network when he led Labor the first time the public had a friendly view of him.

But he says he is now committed to making the Government more accountable.

"In these circumstances you've got a hard word and a hard message out there doesn't necessarily make you popular," he said.

read more at the ABC
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Gus editorialises

Beazley needs to be much sharper, less convoluted, and he needs to attack the government front on, ON ALL OCCASIONS, RELENTLESSLY, not even try to approve any initiative by the government as when the government does something that can appear okay on the surface, the intent stinks... FORGET BI-PARTISANSHIPS... (even in the case of sending more troops to the Solomons)...
Use that good left hook on the Grocer from Kirribilli...

Labor has to come to term with a firm position of retiring Aussie troops from Iraq and not wait for the situation to "improve". It won't improve. A solid improvement in Iraq would mean the Yankee tanks would not be needed anymore but the Yanks want to be needed, wink-wink, you see what I mean, say no more... The con of it all, especially when the US is building massive permanent military bases there. Yes one does not do that if one intends to stay only for a few months... Thus on one hand they smoochily froth at the mouth with freedom offerings, while on the other hand the US policies are part of the problem and the US administration knows it with glee. There are a few side effects like loosing some personnel but "it's a small price to pay"... as long as it's not the Bush twins who die in Iraq.

Thus from dire polls predicament, Kim needs to sharpen his skills in a hurry, sharpen his teeth and understand that the present blind Australian involvement with the US is not a good idea. No need to go to the extent of "conga line of brown noses" sort of thing (although it's quite accurate), but some cautionary words to show a greater understanding of things, more than what the media pumps out. Even the mainstream media in the US is starting to discover that George the Lesser is not a very good president... They call him moron, the worst, dangerous, stupid, etc... Lead the charge on this one, don't be passive... but be aware of the dynamics and set-ups placed in this country designed to support Bush... Diplomacy needs to apply but a firm position is required... For example the relentless verbal attack on Iran from our pollies and our media needs to be brought back to the reality of what it is... A propaganda war against Iran to prepare for a limited (all-out?) war, a full-blown propaganda with convenient mistranslations by the west in order to stir a frenzy. Read some proper analysis not the official line ....

Dear Kim,
Don't even enter the debate of being popular or not... it's fluff that wastes a lot of real debating time designed to expose the cons of our present government...
Of all things, DO NOT TRUST ANY "INTELLIGENCE ADVICE" PRESENTED BY Johnnee as true... Find a few other differing sources of analysis... and other more enlightened viewpoints.

please recognise that Johnnee is smart at conning people and good at placing traps around. Learn all issues with a profound desire for true knowledge of what the reality is... not with a right-ish viewpoint of opportunism. Opportunity sure. Not opportunism...

Yes Kim, you want to get to the bell with purpose, not by a wobbly accident... like when your adversary in the ring who presently is also the referee, might decide to call the end of the match declaring himself the winner... Ignore his antics... go for the greater stuff. Undermine his confidence and his porkies.

Become Messianic in purpose, put some fire in that belly and of all things do not believe in that crummy thought that has plagued you for too long... Yes Kim, we are not doomed...

Just changing.

p.s. get some proper help from your ELECTED colleagues, forget advisors... start making decision from a Labor point of view not from a reactionary mishmash to an already Johnnee-manipulated situation... Do not bring "policies" to the fore since the situations are changing daily... Only broad brush, a wire brush that would slap the face of the man who took us to war on a flimflam....

For once i will support Kim wholeheartedly — this in his description of the IR laws on the May day rally today in Brisbane. Even that prompted Campbell to ask for for him to apologise... Apologise? The government should apologise to the Australian people for the IR laws as they are... they are a disgrace... Even if you don't win one voter on this one, you starting to stand up on your two feet... Duck that right jab from Johnnee Though — especially on the uranium policy... Keep steady... Don't flinch... It's like a siren song for sailors, but perdition awaits... Uranium is not the panacea that people make it out to be...

From the ABC
Mundine defends Beazley's mine comments
Australian Labor Party president Warren Mundine has defended comments made by Opposition Leader Kim Beazley about the Tasmanian mine accident.

Mr Beazley has been accused of trying to score cheap political points by linking the Government's industrial relations (IR) laws to the plight of the two miners trapped underground.

In Brisbane today, the Opposition Leader has said that training the miners had in occupational health and safety helped them survive and the skills of rescuers are helping bring them to the surface.

Mr Mundine says there is nothing wrong with the comment.

"He was right in raising the important issues of training," he said.

"The survival of those miners and mateship of those men trapped down there is purely about their training; about their beliefs; and their strength and mateship working in the mines.

"That is true, the training we've put in place in the last 100 years has really worked and helped them survive."
read more at the ABC