http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/article/12812625/abbott-flags-workplace-chan...

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has flagged changes to the federal government's workplace laws if he were elected prime minister but has stopped short of saying what he would change.

"We will change the act. They will be careful, cautious, responsible changes, and we will announce them in good time before the next election," Mr Abbott told Network Ten on Sunday.

Last week, the Westpac bank, Holden and Mortein-maker Reckitt Benckiser announced major job cuts.

The government said business was under pressure because of the high Australian dollar, while Mr Abbott cited concern over the Fair Work Act and the carbon and mining taxes.

"I certainly think there is a flexibility problem," he said of the Fair Work Act on Sunday.

"There is a militancy problem, and above all else a productivity problem with the Fair Work Act."

Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said some thought current workplace laws needed major changes, while others disagreed.

He said Labor redressed the imbalance from the coalition government's Work Choices policy, taking it to the middle of the road.

That legislation is now under review by a panel of three experts.

Mr Shorten said the coalition's industrial relations problem was that it didn't have a workplace policy.

"It's in a witness protection program," he told the Ten Network.

He said the facts contradicted Mr Abbott's appraisal, as productivity had fallen under the former coalition government.

"Just because the Libs say 'trust us, we're Liberal, productivity will go up" isn't supported by facts," he said.

"When conservatives use the term flexibility, what they actually mean is that if you're poor ... you should take a pay cut.
"Why is it in Australia, coalition DNA says that the only way that the rich can get richer is by low-paid workers getting penalty rate cuts?"

skippy. wrote on Feb 5^th, 2012 at 4:01pm:



What are you talking about skippy?

Here is some good advice.  We know what the liberals are like when it comes to industrial relations.  If your not in a union, its a good idea to join one.  You most certainly will need their help, if Abbott becomes prime minister, and lets hope he doesn't.  A very frightening thought.   

Im a supporter of continual negotiated workplace reform and if Abbott is going to abandon the idea for outer suburban poor white trash votes he will not only ruin business growth in this county but he will also be condemning the very people he is sucking up to to many more generations of crippling poverty and hopelessness.

skippy. wrote on Feb 5^th, 2012 at 4:01pm:

was THE issue a whole century ago!!

  [/color]

I think phony tony is dreaming anyway, I believe he will never be PM .
I think the next PM will be Rudd. and if that occurs the one after will be Turnbull. Its the Libs only choice. If they want to be in gov they need to dump phony tony,because he would not beat Rudd.

philperth2010 wrote on Feb 5^th, 2012 at 4:19pm:


Momentum,... it is the only thing in politics!!

adelcrow wrote on Feb 5^th, 2012 at 4:44pm:


Abbott like Howard will not reveal what he will do to industrial relations before the election....He will deliver the old review after I get elected mantra we hear when political leaders do not want to tell us the truth.....Peter Reith is the person who will influence the Coalitions work place relations more than Abbott who has no idea what good policy is....All Abbott is offering Australia is a return to the policies of John Howard!!!