Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Safer Australian Roads and Highways Media Release - challenge to other States and Territories
MEDIA RELEASE - Safer Australian Roads and Highways - Embargo 18 September 2012
- Safer Australian Roads and Highways Achieves Historic Road Safety Changes for NSW!
- NSW Government still has not properly addressed "slow down move over" legislative proposal but SARAH will continue to work with Government to get better outcomes for roadside assistance, first call and emergency services personnel who assist drivers in breakdown and crash situations.
- Challenge to be thrown down to Premiers and Chief Ministers to make their own breakdown strategy documents public.
And if their emergency lane strategies are not up to the NSW standard, they must explain to their constituents i) why and ii) what they are doing about it!
Please find attached a letter from SARAH to the Victorian Premier. (SARAH will be using a similar format to all Premiers and Chief Ministers and the correspondence will appear on the SarahGroup website at www.sarahgroup.org).
Contact
Peter Frazer
SARAH
0466-968700
Barry O'Farrell's money talk may cost Abbott dear #nswpol
COMMENT
Shifting the blame ... Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Kitty Hill
BARRY O'FARRELL is taking every opportunity to remind us NSW is in a terrible financial state.
He was at it again at the weekend, warning we are losing billions of dollars in GST each year, which has blown a $5.2 billion hole in the NSW budget.
The situation has become so desperate the Premier was moved to promote a solution usually regarded as political poison: an increase in the rate of the GST.
The comments are being described as ''manna from heaven'' for federal Labor, which has picked them up to launch a scare campaign against Tony Abbott.
AdvertisementThis has prompted many to ask what on earth had motivated O'Farrell. The answer is most likely to be political self interest.
When O'Farrell talks about a collapse in GST revenue, he is referring to money that has been forecast to be paid to NSW across the budget forward estimates.
The June budget showed GST to NSW is expected to increase by an average 4.6 per cent between 2011-12 and 2015-16.
The problem is global economic turmoil has sucked the confidence out of the national economy, so GST is expected to grow at a much slower rate than previously forecast, throwing the budget out of whack. That's why the state government announced last week that $1.7 billion had to be cut from education over four years.
The announcement was bungled and prompted a furious backlash from schools.
One possible reason for O'Farrell raising the GST question now is that he is seeking to reinforce the reason the cuts are needed.
But there is also another motive: shifting the blame to the federal government.
The question is whether the potential damage to Abbott's election campaign is worth getting this message across. For a Premier desperate to defend himself against angry teachers and parents, the answer is yes.
via smh.com.au
Monday, September 17, 2012
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$5m office facelift in NSW as 2000 jobs cut | #NSWpol
State government bankers splurged almost $5 million on an office revamp at the same time as Treasury was sharpening its axe to cut 2000 lowly paid education and health workers from the public payroll.
The ''luxury'' renovations at the NSW Treasury Corporation - known as TCorp - has ''given lie to the myth the state is broke'', unions said yesterday.
The O'Farrell government last week blamed diving revenues on its decision to cut almost $5 billion in funding from schools and hospitals and sack 1800 workers.
Documents obtained by The Sun-Herald show TCorp spent $4.43 million on a complete office overhaul, including furniture and fittings, at its offices in Governor Phillip Tower.
AdvertisementTCorp has a staff of just 130, making the refurbishment bill $34,000 a head. A commercial decorator told The Sun-Herald the $2200 a square metre refit qualified as a ''high-end job''.
TCorp's chief executive, Stephen Knight, and the board, led by chairman Philip Gaetjens, signed off on the contract in February.
The agency, which oversees $60 billion in government debt, has also extended its lease in the tower at the same time as the government has promised to vacate its ministerial offices in a bid to reduce the rent bill.
After The Sun-Herald provided details of the contract to the Treasurer, Mike Baird, he reacted by asking TCorp to find ways to vacate the building in a bid to recoup the millions spent on renovations.
Mr Baird spoke directly to Mr Knight, who has conceded the refit was a ''misjudgment''. He said: "I find the decision made to extend this lease and undertake this refurbishment totally unacceptable. Despite the strong performance of this organisation over the past few years, I have spoken with the CEO and he has acknowledged a misjudgment.
''Just as we are asking our state-owned corporations to look for efficiencies, this is another example of where savings could be made.
''I have asked the CEO and the TCorp board to consider all options to recoup the costs of this refurbishment and, at the very least, to ensure that the current lease will not be extended. Any new lease would involve moving to a cheaper premises and would ensure the costs of this decision are recovered.''
News of the refurbishment splurge is bound to enrage public sector workers facing redundancy.
Maurie Mulheron, the president of the NSW Teachers Federation, said: ''This gives lie to the myth that the state government is broke and cannot afford to educate our children.''
''It is extraordinary that in the light of $1.7 billion in cuts to schools that they would splash this cash around.''
The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, said the money spent on TCorp's refit could have paid the salaries of 50 teachers, 25 new science labs or 1975 new laptops for students.
''The decision to direct funding to office upgrades over schools and hospitals shows just how devoid of values and out of touch Barry O'Farrell really is,'' he said.
''He cannot be trusted to act in the best interests of the state when he is cutting billions … then splashing cash on executive office upgrades.''
via smh.com.au
Graphika :: Shave For Coop
via graphika.com.au
He is 11 years old and in Year 5 at Redhead Public School. Jacob has just been diagnosed with Philadelphia Leukaemia and only 3% diagnosed have this type. We are holding a fundraiser to help Jacob’s family... it’s the least we can do!
If you are interested in donating a prize please contact Redhead Public School on 02 4944 7215 or join our Facebook page.
SITREP 36/2012 | FBEU
- FRNSW budget cuts – update
- Plan B: new Conditions Award
- New D&D Award made
- Who voted Liberal? Cross-border bastardry
FRNSW budget cuts – update
The Union and Department today returned to the IRC following this week’s SGM decision, with the Union reaffirming its strong preference for the reduction of overtime over TOLing and the loss of firefighter jobs. The matter was scheduled for a further report on 3 October after the Department reported that it was reviewing all options and would give notice (without specifying how much) before TOLing or otherwise consult with the Union “where appropriate” (also unspecified). More to follow.
Plan B: new Conditions Award
The Union today filed an application with the IRC for a new Consolidated Conditions Award which, if made, will have the effect of converting a raft of current industrial arrangements from Departmental Standing Orders and fire brigade “lore” into award conditions and law. Most members are not aware that many of the conditions we take for granted (for example, the re-crediting of annual and long service leave when sick) are not protected by an award at all and are open to possible amendment or removal by the stroke of a single Commissioner’s Order. Converting these arrangements into Award conditions will remove this risk.
But the Union’s award application does more than just convert existing Standing Orders into award clauses. It also inserts new clauses to give effect to long-standing arrangements that most members take for granted, but which are now under threat. For example, subclause 4.22 requires the Department to maintain minimum staffing of 4 on all permanent pumpers and 2 on all specialist appliances which, if made, would preserve the existing status-quo and prevent permanent TOLing. More to follow.
New D&D Award made
The 2012 Death and Disability Award is now in force, having been made yesterday following overwhelming endorsement by members at this month’s SGM. A full copy of the new Award, which provides increased off-duty death or TPI benefits of up to $350K backdated to 22 March, can be found under the “Wages and Conditions” section of our website.
Who voted Liberal? Cross-border bastardry
What a week for the Liberal and National parties. Here in NSW, the O’Farrell Government resumed its carpet-bombing of the public sector with cuts of $1.7B (that’s billion) over four years in education, and a whopping $3B to be carved out of health. Not to be outdone, Campbell Newman’s new LNP Government took the axe to 14,000 public sector jobs in Queensland (including 57% of all uniformed positions in the QFRS’ Rural Operations arm) and the Baillieu Coalition Government in Victoria confirmed cuts to fire services in only 12 months of $66M – $41M for the CFA and $25M for the MFB.
Is there a pattern forming here?
Jim Casey
State Secretary
via fbeu.net
Firefighters protest over cuts to Qld rural fire service - ABC News
Firefighters protest over cuts to Qld rural fire service
Updated 5 hours 36 minutes ago
Volunteer firefighters in far north Queensland have threatened to let government property burn if proposed budget cuts are not scrapped.
They joined protest action outside a state Community Cabinet meeting in Cairns on Sunday.
This week, the Queensland Government announced plans to slash almost half of the paid positions in the state's Rural Fire Service as part of an austere budget.
The decision has angered volunteer firefighters, with 15 brigades in far north Queensland saying they will no longer fight fires on government land.
They have joined a protest outside a Community Cabinet meeting in Cairns, where about 200 teachers, public sector workers and gay rights activists are voicing their anger with budget cuts and policy decisions.
Premier Campbell Newman, who was given a rowdy reception at the meeting, says he is doing what is needed to reduce debt.
He says cuts to organisations such as the rural fire service have been overstated.
Today, Prime Minister Julia Gillard used an address to Labor's state conference in Brisbane to rally the party faithful to use growing anger at Mr Newman's cost cutting measures to their advantage.
"Queensland Labor has a great responsibility to fight these job cuts, to fight this conservative Government, to give Queenslanders hope, to offer them a real choice at the next state election," she said.
"[Queenslanders] are taking a long hard look at what the LNP in Government really means."
Ms Gillard warned the job cuts seen under the LNP Government could be repeated if Tony Abbott is election Prime Minister.
She says Queensland Labor "will be on the frontline" during the 2013 federal election.
But Mr Newman says Ms Gillard is being hypocritical when it comes to job cuts.
"The Federal Labor Government is sacking 12,000 people. They've got a budget with a yawning deficit that's opening up," he said.
"Isn't it time people looked at them?"
Topics: budget, liberal-national-party-queensland, community-development, regional, activism-and-lobbying, government-and-politics, federal-government, states-and-territories, cairns-4870, qld, australia, brisbane-4000
First posted Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:26pm AEST
via abc.net.au
Abbott's Utopia | Via: Independent Australia #Auspol
If Tony Abbott won’t front a press conference and answer every question journalists can throw at him about his alleged violent bullying behaviour towards Barbara Ramjan then he should resign, says Denise Allen.
HAVING READ David Marr’s Quarterly Essay exposé on Tony Abbott, I am convinced more than ever that the driving force behind Abbott’s almost fanatical obsession to be PM is to turn this country into a Catholic version of Islamic fundamentalism. Anyone who lauds and worships Bob Santamaria is someone who must be feared and loathed by every sane thinking person in this country.
Marr relates Abbott’s deeply held belief in Catholicism, which in turn has festered his paranoid loathing of gay people and people who don’t agree with him; his aggressive bullying attitude toward women and his fear and hatred of anyone different to his white Australia paradise (refugees). It indicates a man who has deep seated personal problems and whose view of the world is one in which progressive policies hold no place. His extreme right wing philosophy is simply frightening.
Not once in this current furore regarding his personal sins of the past has Abbott come out and said “I abhor any sort of violence towards women.” He has been far too busy defending himself, saying: “I can’t recall it happening” and then a week later “It didn’t happen”. He is, let’s face it, lying to cover his arse — not once thinking about publicly deploring the sin he is accused of perpetrating.
That’s because it is all about him.
As Marr writes, Abbott thinks he can just go to the confessional, confess his sins, say three Hail Marys and all will be forgiven. I may not be God, but I sure as hell won’t forgive him — as I am sure thousands of Australian women won’t either.
Male journalists – some predictably – have come to his defence. Greg Sheridan in an extraordinary rant on ABC radio and Tony Wright of Fairfax merely calling him “a dill”.
Yes, Tony Wright, men who threateningly intimidate, punch walls beside a woman’s head, pathetically ridicules her chosen words for which to be addressed as a Chair of a committee, daily uses “warlike” words in order to press his political argument, happily stands in front of vile vicious placards regarding the Prime Minister is only a “dill”.
I would call him a thug.
Sheridan ranted like a main possessed about Labor daring to question Abbott’s honesty and challenging him to explain himself, but gleefully joining in with the Liberals and other mainstream media in the aggressive hounding of the Prime Minister when it came for her to explain supposed past impropriety.
Gillard had the strength and moral fortitude to front a packed media conference for an hour or so and allowed the press to ask the hardest questions they wanted of her. She answered every one of them with credible explanations for everything that had occurred during that heady time as a lawyer with Slater and Gordon. She held nothing back.
Abbott hid from the media for a week, though, never showing his face, then finally went on a frilly morning TV show – where he knew he wouldn’t get the “hard” questioning – to deny his punching of the wall beside the head of Barbara Ramjan ever happened.
Bullshit.
I, on behalf of every thinking woman – and man – in the nation, call on Abbott to front his moment of truth in an hour long press conference allowing journalists to ask him every “hard” question they can think of; although, knowing many male journos, I doubt that will happen — they will pussy foot around the issue like the sychopantic fellow misogynists they are. I would hope though that every female journalist including Michelle Grattan will come out firing on all cylinders in defence of their fellow sisters. I’d like to see that.
Not doing that will only reinforce that they all see threatening intimidating behavior toward women as “trivial”.
If Abbott won’t, or can’t, do this then I call on him to resign. Not just as Opposition leader but as a Member of Parliament, for as far as I am concerned there is no place in Parliament for an aggressive, bullying, dummy spitting misogynist who seeks power for power’s sake and who wants to take this nation into the depths of extreme religious Catholicism where women are second-class citizens, where people cannot make their own choices about how to live, love and die, and where we become not only the 51st State of the USA but also an enclave of the Vatican.
That is Abbott’s utopia.
He must explain himself to the Australian people.
If he doesn’t, we will all be left to believe what 85 per cent of the population already believe.
That…
If it looks like a thug, walks like a thug and talks like a thug … it’s a thug.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License
Tags: Abbott liar, Abbott thug, Barbara Ramjan, David Marr, Denise Allen, featured, Greg Sheridan, Julia Gillard, Quarterly Essay, Sydney University, Tony Abbott, Tony Wright
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http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/abbotts-utopia/
Tony Abbott debate flowchart | via: Café Whispers @MigloCW
We all know just how manipulative, dishonest, sensationalist, gutless, unfair and unbalanced is the media in this country. If, like me, you believe they need to be held accountable for the gross display of injustice they push down the throats of the Australian public then this is the thread in which to voice your opinion.
I intend to keep the Media Watch threads open indefinitely. If anyone sees an example of their lies in action then we’d like to learn about it. We will document everything we can and spread the message as far as we can.
The Media Watch pages are archived after 400 comments (or thereabouts), as beyond that they can be slow to open if accessed by some mobile phones.
Donor law broken at O'Farrell lunch #NSWpol
Guest of honour ... Barry O'Farrell. Photo: Luke Fuda
BARRY O'FARRELL was the guest of honour at a Liberal Party function at which property developers were urged to make donations - and yesterday party bosses were forced into making a humiliating promise to refund $5000 taken at the event.
It is the second time in a week that a Liberal fund-raiser held at Candelori's Italian restaurant in Smithfield has landed the state government in hot water. The Sun-Herald revealed last week that Anthony Roberts, the Fair Trading Minister, was the star turn at a lunch at Candelori's in April when western Sydney property developers bid $2000 for private lunches with him.
Mr O'Farrell, as the then opposition leader, was the keynote speaker at Candelori's in July 2010 when Vic Cavasinni, the owner of Cavasinni Constructions and Beechwood Homes, handed over $5000 towards the Liberals' 2011 election campaign.
Under NSW laws, political parties are forbidden from accepting property developer cash.
AdvertisementThe Premier yesterday insisted he was unaware developers attended but the Liberal Party pledged to return Mr Cavasinni's $4750 cheque and ask the NSW Electoral Commission to investigate the matter.
Mr O'Farrell said in a statement: ''I had no role in issuing the invitations for the 2010 event organised by the Liberal Party and was unaware developers were present.
''Like all Liberal Party functions I attend, I expect the organisers to fully comply with all legislation regarding political donations. I have brought in the nation's toughest campaign finance laws, which I might add were opposed by Labor.''
Returns lodged with the Election Funding Authority show Cavasinni Constructions Pty Ltd gave $4750 to the Liberal Party in Smithfield in the financial year to June 30, 2011.
A Liberal Party spokeswoman said the donation would be returned and the matter referred to the NSW Electoral Commission but added that Mr Cavasinni had been asked if he qualified as a property developer before his money was accepted and he said he did not.
Mr Cavasinni told The Sun-Herald he only became aware ''a few months ago'' that he was ineligible to donate but would not comment any further.
Both functions were hosted by Smithfield Liberal MP, Andrew Rohan, whose electorate office is metres away on the Horsley Drive.
Linda Burney, Labor's deputy leader, called on Mr O'Farrell to strip Mr Rohan of his preselection in Smithfield. ''Andrew Rohan is clearly up to his neck in it and, frankly, people like that don't belong in the Parliament,'' Ms Burney said.
''Barry O'Farrell needs to explain how Andrew Rohan was ever pre-selected in the first place and rule out endorsing him as the Liberal Party's candidate at the next election. The people of Smithfield deserve to have a local MP they can have confidence in and after this week it's clear the Member for Smithfield doesn't fit the bill.''
Mr Rohan's office did not return calls. The local press reported at the time that David Clarke, MLC, leader of the Liberal right, was also at the lunch with his factional ally, Marie Ficarra, MLC, Mr Rohan and Mr O'Farrell.
The most political damage from the Candelori's lunches has so far been to Mr Roberts, who fronted the April lunch at which Mr Cavasinni and two other developers, David Masterton of Masterton Homes and Peter Fowler of Fowler Homes, bid $2000 to have lunch with him.
The episode became the focus of Labor's question time attack last week and Mr O'Farrell was forced to ask the Electoral Commission to investigate.
The Liberal Party has insisted those cheques were never cashed after an alarm was raised that the businessmen qualified as property developers. Despite that, Mr Roberts hosted Mr Masterton and Mr Cavasinni for separate lunches at Parliament House just months before a review of the Home Building Act.
via smh.com.au
BARRY O'FARRELL was the guest of honour at a Liberal Party function at which property developers were urged to make donations - and yesterday party bosses were forced into making a humiliating promise to refund $5000 taken at the event.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/donor-law-broken-at-ofarrell-lunch-20120908-25l0e.h...
Labor gets popularity boost | thetelegraph.com.au
Poll boost ... Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Source: The Daily Telegraph
LABOR has clawed back the Coalition's huge lead to be deadlocked at 50 per cent each in two-party preferred terms, according to the latest Newspoll.
It is the first time the parties have been level since March last year when Julia Gillard announced plans for a carbon tax.
The latest Newspoll, published in The Australian today, will set back the hopes of Kevin Rudd's supporters that poor polling could see him replace Ms Gillard as prime minister.
Labor's primary vote is up three points to 36 per cent - the highest level since March 2011 and just shy of the 38 per cent level from the 2010 election.
The Coalition's primary vote crashed five points to 41 per cent - the lowest since March 2011 but worse than the 43.6 per cent result at the election. Labor's two-party vote has been boosted by a four point leap in support for the Greens, to 12 per cent.
Coalition leader Tony Abbott's approval rating has weakened three points to a record low of 36 as controversy swirls about his behaviour as an undergraduate 35 years ago, according to the poll, published in Fairfax newspapers on Monday.
Ms Gillard leads Mr Abbott as preferred leader by three points - she is on 47 (up one point) while Mr Abbott is on 44 (down one).
Among women, he is 12 points behind as preferred prime minister, but leads by five points among men.
Labor's primary vote has increased two points to 34 while the Coalition remains on 45 and the Greens down one to 10.
Ms Gillard's approval rating has risen by three points to 42 and her disapproval rating down four to 53 - her highest approval and lowest disapproval since May last year.
The poll was conducted as Ms Gillard spent most of last week on leave after the death of her father John.
It also followed last week's announcements by the Coalition governments in NSW and Queensland of cuts to jobs and spending in education and health.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Slaves to our devices, and it’s beginning to fry our brains | Article | The Punch
“While everyone agrees email is an incredibly useful tool, it isn’t accompanied by eye contact, body language or facial communication – and has a higher likelihood of being misinterpreted,” Professor Hammond says.
“Sometimes you need to really think, to reflect on something, and the constant emails are very distracting.
“I’ve got staff who fear going on holiday, too, because of the mountain of emails that will be waiting on their return.
“My hope would be that, in due course, this ‘email free’ time becomes an occasion which staff look forward to each week.”
Emails are easy, they’re fast and they’re effective. So why are they’re making us obsessive, unproductive and inefficient?
I can spend hours, even days, doing nothing but responding to emails, kidding myself that I’m busy when in reality most could be tackled with a quick phone call and deleted.
Research coming out of the US in the past decade suggests instant communication is leading to compulsive behaviour; it’s upping our stress levels (constantly checking emails apparently keeps our minds on ‘high-alert’); and it’s overloading us with more information than our poor non-computerised brains can handle.
And all this, ultimately, is making us less - not more - productive. No wonder there’s a trend towards email-free days in America.
Adelaide psychologist Angie Willcocks says 24/7 access to emails is most definitely causing stress among employees who feel constantly compelled to check messages and guilty if they don’t respond immediately.
And that WIFI wonderment we all felt at being able to go online anywhere, any time, is quickly being replaced with a dreaded feeling that we’re slaves to work everywhere and all the time.
“Let’s say it’s a Sunday morning and you use your smartphone to check your emails - in 0.4 seconds you see a job that you’ll need to get stuck into when you get to work tomorrow,” Ms Willcocks says.
“That email could easily have waited until Monday morning, but instead of having a lovely Sunday with the family you spend all day stressing.”
Ms Willcocks says some families eager to restore work/life balance are banning phones at night and on weekends, “or even just for an hour at a time”, to end the compulsive checking.
“It’s inevitable that people will increasingly start to turn off from this constant communication - it’s unsustainable.”
The curse of the email is not limited to mental health, either.
Nadine Schultz, a physiotherapist from Uraidla in the Adelaide Hills, says a spike in “texting thumb” complaints a few years back has been replaced by neck, shoulder and upper-back strains caused by excessive use of iPads and tablets.
“Everyone’s sitting on the lounge with their heads bent over their iPads and no forearm support - it’s really bad for posture, and women seem especially susceptible.
“Anyone using a tablet for more than 15 minutes should really be sitting at the kitchen table, resting their forearms to take the load off their shoulders.”
So, on this lovely Sunday, will it be Send/Receive or Switch off/Get a life?
Professor Celia Hammond says she hopes her trial will “reminds us all ... that email is a communication tool that should not rule our lives and needs to be handled with care”.
Certainly pushes my button.
Comments on this post close at 8pm AEST
via thepunch.com.au
Friday, September 14, 2012
Friday night Firefighter update via: SITREP 36 @NSWFBEU | #FBEU #FRNSW
- FRNSW budget cuts – update
- Plan B: new Conditions Award
- New D&D Award made
- Who voted Liberal? Cross-border bastardry
FRNSW budget cuts – update
The Union and Department today returned to the IRC following this week’s SGM decision, with the Union reaffirming its strong preference for the reduction of overtime over TOLing and the loss of firefighter jobs. The matter was scheduled for a further report on 3 October after the Department reported that it was reviewing all options and would give notice (without specifying how much) before TOLing or otherwise consult with the Union “where appropriate” (also unspecified). More to follow.
Plan B: new Conditions Award
The Union today filed an application with the IRC for a new Consolidated Conditions Award which, if made, will have the effect of converting a raft of current industrial arrangements from Departmental Standing Orders and fire brigade “lore” into award conditions and law. Most members are not aware that many of the conditions we take for granted (for example, the re-crediting of annual and long service leave when sick) are not protected by an award at all and are open to possible amendment or removal by the stroke of a single Commissioner’s Order. Converting these arrangements into Award conditions will remove this risk.
But the Union’s award application does more than just convert existing Standing Orders into award clauses. It also inserts new clauses to give effect to long-standing arrangements that most members take for granted, but which are now under threat. For example, subclause 4.22 requires the Department to maintain minimum staffing of 4 on all permanent pumpers and 2 on all specialist appliances which, if made, would preserve the existing status-quo and prevent permanent TOLing. More to follow.
New D&D Award made
The 2012 Death and Disability Award is now in force, having been made yesterday following overwhelming endorsement by members at this month’s SGM. A full copy of the new Award, which provides increased off-duty death or TPI benefits of up to $350K backdated to 22 March, can be found under the “Wages and Conditions” section of our website.
Who voted Liberal? Cross-border bastardry
What a week for the Liberal and National parties. Here in NSW, the O’Farrell Government resumed its carpet-bombing of the public sector with cuts of $1.7B (that’s billion) over four years in education, and a whopping $3B to be carved out of health. Not to be outdone, Campbell Newman’s new LNP Government took the axe to 14,000 public sector jobs in Queensland (including 57% of all uniformed positions in the QFRS’ Rural Operations arm) and the Baillieu Coalition Government in Victoria confirmed cuts to fire services in only 12 months of $66M – $41M for the CFA and $25M for the MFB.
Is there a pattern forming here?
Jim Casey
State Secretary
via fbeu.net
SITREP 35/2012 | via: FBEU
September 12, 2012
- September SGM results
- Where to from here?
September SGM results
The Special General Meeting and associated Sub-Branch meetings concluded with the declaration of the final vote on each question pursuant to Rule 11(4)(d) today, as follows:
Question 1. Response to 2012/13 Budget and the NSW Government’s Labour Cost Cap
“That the initiatives and award variations proposed by the Union’s State Committee of Management to avoid the immediate TOLing of permanent appliances and firefighter job losses following the O’Farrell Government’s Labour Cost Cap forced reduction of FRNSW employee-related expenditure by $15.3M this financial year, as set out in the document headed ‘2012/13 Budget and the NSW Government’s Labour Cost Cap’ and placed on the Union’s internet site prior to this meeting, be received, noted and endorsed.”
LOST (803 for, 1220 against)
Question 2. Endorsement of 2012 Death and Disability Award
“That the proposed 2012 Death and Disability Award and associated terms of settlement, as placed on the Union’s internet site prior to this meeting, be received, noted and endorsed.”
CARRIED (1986 for, 30 against)
Where to from here?
Firstly, it is important to recognise the huge interest shown by members in this SGM, as reflected in a record general meeting attendance of over 2,000 members across the state.
SITREP 29 confirmed that permanent station TOLing (taking stations “Temporarily Off Line” in order to avoid overtime) was not only on the Department’s agenda, it was literally days away from commencing. That was back on 27 July. Members at the time were loud and clear in their expectation that the Union should block this, or any expansion of retained TOLing. The Union’s officials responded to this by convincing both the IRC and the Department that expanded TOLing should be put on hold to allow alternative overtime-saving measures to be developed. A comprehensive package of proposals to reduce overtime and avoid TOLing was subsequently put to the membership at this SGM.
The Union’s officials acknowledge and respect the fact that members this week were equally loud and clear in their rejection of those proposals. What is less certain is where this decision will now take us. Commissioner Mullins had already written last week to confirm his intention to commence permanent TOLing and other “budget reduction strategies” if the SGM voted no. This is not expected to occur before the parties return once more to the IRC this Friday. More on this following those proceedings.
Less controversial was the members’ endorsement of the proposed new D&D Award, which will now be made by the IRC’s Justice Haylen in a separate hearing at 0945 hrs tomorrow.
Jim Casey
State Secretary
via fbeu.net
NSW firefighter's son need help -> Shave For Coop #FBEU + #FRNSW
via graphika.com.au
He is 11 years old and in Year 5 at Redhead Public School. Jacob has just been diagnosed with Philadelphia Leukaemia and only 3% diagnosed have this type. We are holding a fundraiser to help Jacob’s family... it’s the least we can do!
If you are interested in donating a prize please contact Redhead Public School on 02 4944 7215 or join our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shave-For-Coop/443217822384126
NSW Firefighter's son Jacob, faces Leukaemia - Donate to Shave For Coop #FRNSW
via graphika.com.au
He is 11 years old and in Year 5 at Redhead Public School. Jacob has just been diagnosed with Philadelphia Leukaemia and only 3% diagnosed have this type. We are holding a fundraiser to help Jacob’s family... it’s the least we can do!
If you are interested in donating a prize please contact Redhead Public School on 02 4944 7215 or join the Facebook page.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
O'Farrell facing mutiny over public service cuts #NSWpol
7News - OFarrell facing mutiny over cuts
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'Abbott's goon squad threw me against a wall' #Auspol
via smh.com.au
Another witness has come forward to contradict Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's denial that he intimidated a student rival by punching a wall next to her head during their student days.
The man, a student at the time, said he was outside the Student Representative Council's offices photocopying when "Abbott's famous flying squad of goons crashed down the stairs, threw me against the wall, kicked in the doors of the SRC, and started creating havoc".
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbotts-goon-squad-threw-me-agai...
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