AREEA (Australian Mines and Metals Association), the national employer group for Australia’s resource industry, looks forward to working with the Abbott Government’s newly appointed frontbench in sustaining the long-term strength of the country’s mining, oil and gas and related service sectors.
“The resource industry is committed to working closely with the Abbott Government to restore Australia’s rightful reputation as a globally competitive and attractive place to invest, employ people and do business,” says AREEA chief executive Steve Knott.
“We particularly welcome the appointment of highly regarded and experienced ministers Eric Abetz and Ian Macfarlane to the respective portfolios of ’employment’ and ‘industry’ (including resources).
“Senator Abetz has demonstrated a considered and consultative approach to important policy making and understands that a balanced and productivity-enhancing workplace relations system is critical to securing investment in resources projects and the thousands of jobs that come with it.
“Similarly, Mr Macfarlane’s appointment to a bolstered industry portfolio will support the resource sector’s next phase of growth through strong policies to wind-back red and green tape duplication and ‘kick start’ the struggling exploration market – the critical R&D of Australia’s resources activities.”
ACTU secretary Dave Oliver’s IR mandate comments ‘absurd’ says AREEA
Comments by ACTU secretary Dave Oliver in The Australian today that the Abbott Government has ‘no mandate’ to hold unions accountable for unlawful activities are ‘completely absurd’, says AREEA.
Mr Oliver reportedly wants to block important workplace initiatives in the Senate, including restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and new regulation to prevent HSU-style corruption in both trade unions and employer associations.
“While in Opposition, Tony Abbott and his team made these two important policies very clear. The Coalition has the clearest possible mandate to restore the ABCC and hold all Registered Organisations to greater account for their activities and use of members’ funds,” Mr Knott says.
“Just as the Coalition respected Labor’s mandate to abolish WorkChoices, both the ACTU and Labor need to respect the will of the people on the ABCC and better regulation of trade unions.
“Any union committed to doing the right thing and acting lawfully and responsibly would have nothing to fear from such changes. These changes only concern unions which engage in thuggery and intimidation on Australia’s building sites, or misappropriate their members’ funds.
“These prudent regulations will ensure both unions and employer groups are properly governed and regulated, something AREEA has benefited from having voluntarily been incorporated under Australia’s corporations law for 95 years.
“Many unions and employer groups are easily multi-million dollar turnover organisations. In the wake of the recent HSU and AWU scandals, members whose financial contributions fund such organisations deserve better regulation and reporting of how their funds are managed.
“Dave Oliver’s comments show a refusal to accept that trade unions should be accountable when laws are broken and community expectations are infringed.
“Self obsessed, protectionist attitudes have seen trade union membership fall to only one-in-eight private sector workers. Without a fundamental change of attitude and approach, trade union membership can only fall further.”
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