The PM declared that the hard work starts now – he remarked that the government was barely 7 weeks old but had already ratified Kyoto, attended the climate change conference in Bali, was putting together an apology to indigenous Australians who were part of the stolen generation, was monitoring Japanese whaling and had almost finished a bill to go to the Parliament’s next sitting to begin to implement the government’s industrial relations policy to get rid of WorkChoices.

 Julia Gillard spoke in her role as Minister for Industrial Relations. The first IR bill will abolish AWAs, and establish a new safety net for enterprise bargaining, effectively reinstating the ‘no disadvantage test’ which the previous government abolished. It will also provide that agreements cannot be unilaterally terminated by the employer after reaching the nominal expiry date. Other legislation is to follow which will reinstate the right to remedies for unfair dismissal. More details will be provided as it comes to hand.

The ACTU is negotiating with the government over the drafting of the legislation on behalf of all affiliates, which includes our Union.