ALP Industrial Relations Policy - a King without clothes

Have spent that last three days (27-29 April) at the ALP National Conference in Sydney. The big issues were John Howard is a clever but old politician; climate change is the biggest threat to Australia and only the Rudd led ALP can fix it; and the Coalition Government's "WorkChoices" legislation will be abolished the first opportunity a Federal ALP Government gets.

It was also an appalling display of the fact business can't count numbers despite being financially numerate.

In summary, the response to the ALP industrial relations policy promise to abolish "WorkChoices" and AWAs can be summed up as:

• the ALP and Unions will abolish "WorkChoices" as soon as elected - Conference & Union delegates response was yippee;
• for business leaders abolishing "WorkChoices" and AWAs will result in the sky falling and the end of civilization; and
• for John Howard it means the return of the "Union Bosses" controlling the ALP.

All three positions based upon a myth of which it is in none of their interests to refute - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (if elected at the next FederalElection) will not decide how much if any of "WorkChoices" is abolished. Neither Sharan Burrow not Greg Combet of the ACTU decide how much if any of "WorkChoices" is abolished.

The Leader of the Coalition Opposition will decide if any or all of "WorkChoices" is abolished.

The ALP will not have the votes in the Senate even with the Greens and Family First. The Coalition only need to win 3 Senate seats in 5 States, 2 in one State and one each in the Territories to control the Senate and to block ALP legislation.

The ACTU will have to fight two elections to abolish "WorkChoices". The next one and then the Double Dissolution election in 2009 or 2010. I hope they are saving their pennies.

Here's a challenge for John Howard - will he promise Australia (like Paul Keating did) that if Kevin Rudd and the ALP are elected the Coalition will allow the ALP to dismantle "WorkChoices"? That should motivate the business lobbys to campaign! Of course he won't do any such thing - nor will Peter Costello if he's leading the Coalition in Opposition - not after his history at Dollar Sweets etc.

Electoral needs will always trump sound policy (and logic).

I look forward to Julia and Kevin explaining to the "loony left" - listen we tried but we can't abolish AWAs. Just like Howard had to tell the media owners when he couldn't get media law reform through the Senate the first time.

Hope the Western Australian mining industry can count numbers?