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Tuesday 30th September 1997
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The gloves are off in Parliament with the Coalition government slugging it
out round for round with the Australian Labor Party (ALP). Now this might
be very entertaining for those in the visitor's gallery, the journalists
and the evening television reports but is it really what we elected them
to do? It also became apparent why Simon Crean had been given the job to
attack the Coalition last week... leaving leader Kim Beazley sitting in the
wings.
While major issues like unemployment, Wik and media ownership have been sidelined
we have the motor-mouths out there arguing over who has misled Parliament
and playing catch me if you can.... we all know that they are as bad as each
other. We all know that one of the worst offenders of travel allowance (TA)
rorting was the former Prime Minister Paul Keating who became a millionaire
on year's of rorting this allowance.
But no, the media love it, the media moguls lobbyists love it and the cycle
on ineptitude in by the tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee of politics (ALP and
Coalition) continues unabated.
Yesterday question time was caught up with allegations voiced from one party
to the other with developments in the "Travelgate" including:
Perhaps the comment of the day was that by Federal Treasurer Peter Costello
who said, in relation to the ALP's Nick Sherry. He said, "Here we have the
Bedouin of Burnie. If (Kim Beazley) cannot discipline Senator Sherry, at
least suggest he buys a home."
Union involvement in a business is likely to have
a dramatic slowing effect on the growth of that business according
to the latest study. The study found that union demands for higher wages,
expensive redundancy packages and costly dismissal charges effectively stifled
the growth of companies.
700 businesses were asked about the number of their workforce involved with
unions and this was then compared with their growth between 1989 and 1995.
The National Institute of Labour Studies research conducted by Mark Wooden,
and Anne Hawke found that some union involvement slowed growth in the businesses
by about 2.5% per annum compared to those who had no unions to deal with
while a totally union dominated workforce slowed annual growth by 4.5%.
"As well, employers are wary of recruiting because they can't take the risk
of employing someone and then not being able to get rid of them if things
don't work out," the report said.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Queensland secretary,
John Thompson, criticised the study as being biased against unions.
The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) has been asked to investigate allegations
that Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett breached trading rules when influencing
the ability of his wife to acquire shares in companies being floated.
The State Opposition leader John Brumby wrote to the ASX chairman Maurice
Newman yesterday requesting him to set up an urgent inquiry into Kennett's
purchase of the shares in Guangdong Corporation.
Kennett's office said that the move by the Victorian state Labor leader was
"just another stunt" saying that the ASX had already investigated the
transaction.
International:
Making the
news" -
an indepth exposé of media and political collusion at the highest
possible levels in Australia.
Politics:
The latest NewsPoll results:
| Party | Sep 26-28 | Sep 19-21 | Sep 5-7 | Aug 22-24 | Aug 8-10 | Jul 25-27 | Jul 11-13 | June 27-29 | June 13-15 | May 30-June 1 | May 16-18 | Election - March 1997 |
| Coalition | 42% | 43% | 41% | 42% | 43% | 42% | 42 | 43% | 44% | 43% | 41% | 47% |
| ALP | 37% | 37% | 40% | 39% | 37% | 36% | 40% | 37% | 36% | 37% | 37% | 38.7% |
| One Nation | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 9% | N/A |
| Democrats | 5% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 6.8% |
| Greens | 1% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1.7% |
| Others | 10% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 5.8% |
Subject: POLITICAL SUICIDE
Dear Editor,
Readers, especially voters, are especially indebted to you for the coverage that you have been giving to the Kim Beazley's and Simon Crean's of the Labor Party over the "travelrorts" affair.
Every thinking citizen will vote for some Independent or Small Party at the next election now that the reality of the situation has been made clear - Labor is not interested in good government or the solving of the nation's important problems, it is only interested in tearing down the duly elected Liberal-led one and, if it regains control of the Treasury Benches at the next election it can reasonably expect the Liberals to deliver the same sort of "medicine" that it is currently dispensing.
Are there some hidden agendas or ulterior motives that need to be uncovered to assist the voters in making a fair assessment of the relevance of Liberal and Labor as Parties in the local scene?
Locals are depending on you to keep up the good work and shine the harsh light on every aspect of those parties childish activities.
Sincerely,
J o n M. A x t e n s
Telstra shares are likely to float at between Au$2.80 and Au$3.30 Finance Minister John Fahey revealed yesterday.
The minimum share purchase is 400 with mums and dads being able to but up to 600 shares in the first of two instalments at Au$1.95 (investment of Au$1,170) each the second instalment for the shares will be payable in November after the bidding by the institutions sets the price.
Analysts have suggested that the price of Telstra shares will go up to about Au$3.60 when they are released on the ASX.
Brierley Investments Limited (BIL)were yesterday cleared by the ASX of any wrong doing over the purchase of Fairfax shares.
However the panel investigating the transaction recommended that significant reforms be undertaken to ensure that such a transaction could not legally take place again.
The investigation revolved around over 22 million shares held in trust for BIL by stock broker Merrill Lynch.
Another perfect day in paradise.
Have a good one.
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