Media Statement - 9th November 2005Prime Minister John Howard...

Media Statement - 9th November 2005

Prime Minister John Howard has failed his latest ticker test on industrial relations - killing off proper Parliamentary debate on his extreme Bill.

Attacking Industrial Relations safeguards has long been the Prime Minister's tired old dream but Mr Howard refuses to debate his deeply unpopular scheme.

Mr Howard's IR changes have nothing to do with Australia's future, but everything to do with his past.

In another abuse of his Parliamentary numbers, Mr Howard has now decided that debate on his extreme IR Bill will be guillotined tomorrow morning.

This means the Parliament - on behalf of the Australian community - will not have the chance to properly examine and debate Mr Howard's ideological Bill.

This is a Government with total control - out of control.

Mr Howard now knows his extreme IR changes are political poison, and he refuses to be up front with the Australian people and give them the debate they deserve.

It is now 21 days since I challenged Mr Howard to a nationally televised debate on IR - a challenge he has not had the courage to meet.

Mr Howard did not tell the Australian people in the election campaign he was going to attack their job security, take home pay, working conditions and living standards.

He now needs to stop hiding behind his $50 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign, and front up in a televised debate to defend his extreme attack on Australian families.