Saturday, October 29, 2005
Absolute power
"Down, down we go, we're so very low,
To the hell of the deep sunk mines,
But we gather the proudest gems that glow,
When the crown of the despot shines."
Ernest Jones - Song of the Lower Classes (c1848, pub. 1952)
This is going to be a political post and I make no apologies for that.
Now that the Howard government (an Australian Federal government of already highly questionable morality) has absolute power in both Houses of Parliament, they are moving rapidly forward with their radically rightwing agenda. That there appears to be no economic need whatsoever should surprise no-one as this is clearly ideology driven.
I had wondered why single-mothers, injured workers and others on government benefits were being forced to seek employment, but now it becomes clear. The Howard government's radical industrial relations legislation is clearly set to strip workers' rights to an extreme degree, and there will be a need for an available, exploitable underclass to fill vacancies created by unskilled workers who might be unwilling to sign a (new) minimum wage individual contract.
A new report, from Sydney University's Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Reseach and Training, showed that New Zealand's deregulatory system decreased hourly wage rates by 18% for ordinary time employees and 44% for part-time workers. No-one should confuse the ultimate goals and ideals of capitalism with democracy! As Paul Robinson writes in The Age today - John Stuart Mill observed in 1848 that "under conditions of competition, standards are set by the morally least reputable agent."
Former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, in a lecture on Monday described Howard's Industrial Relations plans as "an assault on the very core of what generations of our citizens have been proud to boast of at home and abroad as the essence of the Australian character: the fair go; the belief that might is not right; that it is not those already with privilege who should be protected by government but the most vulnerable in our society; the encouragement of enterprise, not exploitation."
I know my grandfather would have agreed with him, and so do I.
To the hell of the deep sunk mines,
But we gather the proudest gems that glow,
When the crown of the despot shines."
Ernest Jones - Song of the Lower Classes (c1848, pub. 1952)
This is going to be a political post and I make no apologies for that.
Now that the Howard government (an Australian Federal government of already highly questionable morality) has absolute power in both Houses of Parliament, they are moving rapidly forward with their radically rightwing agenda. That there appears to be no economic need whatsoever should surprise no-one as this is clearly ideology driven.
I had wondered why single-mothers, injured workers and others on government benefits were being forced to seek employment, but now it becomes clear. The Howard government's radical industrial relations legislation is clearly set to strip workers' rights to an extreme degree, and there will be a need for an available, exploitable underclass to fill vacancies created by unskilled workers who might be unwilling to sign a (new) minimum wage individual contract.
A new report, from Sydney University's Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Reseach and Training, showed that New Zealand's deregulatory system decreased hourly wage rates by 18% for ordinary time employees and 44% for part-time workers. No-one should confuse the ultimate goals and ideals of capitalism with democracy! As Paul Robinson writes in The Age today - John Stuart Mill observed in 1848 that "under conditions of competition, standards are set by the morally least reputable agent."
Former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, in a lecture on Monday described Howard's Industrial Relations plans as "an assault on the very core of what generations of our citizens have been proud to boast of at home and abroad as the essence of the Australian character: the fair go; the belief that might is not right; that it is not those already with privilege who should be protected by government but the most vulnerable in our society; the encouragement of enterprise, not exploitation."
I know my grandfather would have agreed with him, and so do I.
Labels: corruption, industrial relations, oppression
Comments:
GGGGRRRRR
"Down, down we go, we're so very low,
To the hell of the deep sunk mines,
But we gather the proudest gems that glow,
When the crown of the despot shines."
Just practising ...
"Down, down we go, we're so very low,
To the hell of the deep sunk mines,
But we gather the proudest gems that glow,
When the crown of the despot shines."
Just practising ...
Thanks, Anonymous! It's quite a long song and all good (and pretty telling about how little times have changed, or at least how far back the conservatives would like to wind the clock).
The very next part is utterly relevant to John Howard and Peter Costello (GST for all, tax cuts for the rich):
"And when'er he lacks, upon our backs,
Fresh loads he deigns to lay:
We're far too low to vote the tax,
But not too low to pay."
The very next part is utterly relevant to John Howard and Peter Costello (GST for all, tax cuts for the rich):
"And when'er he lacks, upon our backs,
Fresh loads he deigns to lay:
We're far too low to vote the tax,
But not too low to pay."
Geez, and all we're getting from the PM lately is "Look, there's a terrorist," while they try to sneak the Industrial Relations regressions through Parliament with as little media coverage as possible.
I think there are a lot of angry people yelling towards their televisions at the moment and none of them are blind.
For anyone interested, the following links are to the IR legislation currently before Federal Parliament and - for something to do about it - the Rights at Work site with information and rally dates.
Text of Bill
Explanatory Memorandum
Rights at Work - Rally on November 15!
Text of Bill
Explanatory Memorandum
Rights at Work - Rally on November 15!
Nice post. But why do you feel like you have to apologise for making a political statement?
# posted by 
: 4:03 pm, November 10, 2005
: 4:03 pm, November 10, 2005
But why do you feel like you have to apologise for making a political statement?
Thanks, good question. The answer is I felt it necessary because people come here looking for art, not my political views. This issue is so massively important that any worker ignores it at their absolute peril!
It may seem nothing can be done, but there's a definite need for a show of protest - not that anything can now stop this government from doing whatever it wants :(.
Post a Comment
Thanks, good question. The answer is I felt it necessary because people come here looking for art, not my political views. This issue is so massively important that any worker ignores it at their absolute peril!
It may seem nothing can be done, but there's a definite need for a show of protest - not that anything can now stop this government from doing whatever it wants :(.
