From the ABC

Rudd's IR stand 'like a B-grade movie'

Federal Liberal frontbencher Joe Hockey has accused the federal Labor leader of engaging in a "predictable charade" with the unions over his industrial relations plans.

Mr Hockey says Kevin Rudd is pretending to slap down the union bosses in an effort to publicly distance himself from the unions.

His comments comes amid a report that Australian Council of Trade Unions head Greg Combet has demanded Mr Rudd release the details of his industrial relations policy or risk losing voters at the election.

But Mr Hockey claims it is an orchestrated game and says the unions will run the ALP if it wins government.

"This is like a B-grade movie starring Kevin Rudd and the union bosses, and Julia Gillard makes a cameo appearance.

"We shouldn't be fooled by this, no one should be fooled by it.

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Gus: of course,The present Howard government IR laws are like an Infamous R-rated Low grade movie where the dirty obscene bits are somewhat barely covered by censure stickers. Also starring in this sad mad flick — called "gone are the workers' rights" — are big bonuses business bosses, banking all the bucks in the banks. Backstage door ultra right, a larger than ever cameo by big Joe Hockey as the can-do candyman caped with the ubiquitous stuffyoo, while the ever so enigmatic Billy Heffernan, as usual, plays the shadowy extreme-right-hand man for the Don, Johnnio the Rattardo, who is about to be topped by a young Saint Kevin who's been given an excalubur grade ointment in New York by his new mate Mr Rupe Murdy... "Who cares about wind change" says the good old Rupe... "All will end well that should end well in the best of the worlds... as long as no one takes points off my scoreboard for having supported the now out-of-control Iraq war."

Did he say that? I don't think so... but he should.

 

From the ABC

Hockey denies public pressure led to WorkChoices scale back

Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey denies he is bowing to public criticism by scaling back the Government's WorkChoices legislation.

In what is a significant policy shift, workers will be awarded compensation when they agree to trade away award conditions.

Mr Hockey says the Office of the Employment Advocate will be renamed the Workplace Authority and given powers to conduct a fairness test to ensure workers get adequate compensation.

But he denies the scale back is an admission WorkChoices is unfair.

"This is not about overturning any reforms, this is about putting in place a stronger safety net," he said.

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Gus: be careful, punters out there. There could be some strings attached to flipflop of Rattus sneakii's Porkchoices... Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey denial is as convincing as a smiling croc telling you it's safe to go in the water.... Safety net with "adequate compensation" from Johnnee babee? Spider web more like it.

 

I'm not as pretty as Gillard: Hockey

Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey has suggested the Government's work place policies are not as popular as Labor's because he is not as pretty as Julia Gillard.

Mr Hockey has dismissed talk of a government leadership change in the final few months before the election.

He says the Government's poor poll results in the area of workplace relations may be due to image.

"Julia Gillard's on the front cover of the ABC magazine, she's in Women's Weekly and all those things and I'm not as pretty as Julia Gillard obviously," he said.

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Gus: see cartoon at the head of this line of blogs