Fed up Queenslanders join forces to protest new government legislation

Demonstrators like those who protested the governments public service cuts earlier this year, are expected to march on Parliament House this week. Photo: Glenn Hunt

“Several thousand” workers, unionists, lawyers, environmentalists, civil libertarians, community groups and the fed up are among those joining forces to shout Parliament House down.

The main focus will be the government's industrial relations reforms, labelled as “more draconian than WorkChoices” by the Queensland Council of Unions, but if it involves rights, it will be yelled about on Tuesday afternoon, as government critics plan a statewide attack for the last week of parliament.

Introduced last month, while the government was pushing through its anti-bikie legislation, the Industrial Relations Fair Work Harmonisation Act will be passed this week.

Premier Campbell Newman and Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie are blamed for orchestrating the anti-bikie laws in Queensland. Photo: Michelle Smith

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said it would bring the state in line with the federal legislation, as well as making bargaining a fairer process for both employers and employees.

Opponents said the new laws strip away the rights of employees and unions to negotiate effectively, dismantle strike action protections and undermine the separation of powers between the Queensland Industrial Relations Court and the government.



The legislation will also make it an offence for union fees to be deducted from an employees pay and senior medical officers will be moved to individual contracts.



With the government's massive majority, there is no question the legislation will be passed, but QCU president John Battams said the community “would not be silenced”.

“I can tell you the groundswell of opinion against what the government is doing is growing by the day,” he said.

“With every new law that they pass, more people notice. I don't think you are going to see any diminution of campaigning against the government.

This government has been here almost two years and we are headed to an election and we are going to be there every step of the way.”
 
The government has repeatedly denied it has waged an ideological war against unions and said it had only made the playing field fairer.

As expected, Mr Battams disagreed, but he said “increasingly people were getting tired” of what he called the government's “arrogance”.

“They are only talking to the big end of town, only regard their own interests and disregard the interests of Queenslanders," Mr Battams said.

“Yes, they'll pass the law, but we'll make sure people will hear what is happening. These laws mainly affect public servants and local government employees – I don't think many of them will be voting for this government come next election, as well as anyone else who cares for a fair and just society.”

The industrial relations laws are not the only legislation expected to make waves this week.
Premier Campbell Newman said changes to the Queensland electoral act, as flagged by the government's green paper released earlier this year, will also be put through in the closing stages of the 54th parliament.





In July, Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie announced changes to the Queensland Electoral Act, which included raising the declarable donation threshold for political candidates from $2000 to $12,400, with monthly disclosures.

But amounts under $12,400, including fundraising events which had a per-head entry fee under the threshold, would not have to be declared, regardless of the cumulative total raised.

At the time, Mr Bleijie said the changes would make the political donation process “more transparent”, but the opposition said the changes would muddy the waters, making it easier to hide electoral donations.






The extension of sand mining on North Stradbroke Island will also be finalised this week, as will the amendments to the government's bikie laws.

brisbanetimes.com.au 19 Nov 2013

 

The Queensland government as a whole is factually a corporation, the BRIGALOW COPORATION, a fact that is (deliberately?) not reported by the corporate media.

The actions of the protesters are in response to oppressive corporatised (government) actions.

The pictures of the above 'leaders' are photos of corrupt people.

From a 'lay' persons understanding a government is formed by the people, the individuals who are in governance are paid by the peoples' taxes, and as a result are called 'public servants'.

In reality this is NOT the case as Australian governments federal, state and local are factually businesses -> companies -> corporations, and function as such.

The general population are conned into a false reality.