It’s time for constitutional recognition

Annerley Branch members have declared constitutional recognition of our First Nations people as a ‘priority’ and will seek to actively and publicly campaign for change through a referendum.

In expressing support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart – which calls for a constitutionally enshrined voice to Parliament, the establishment of a Commission to supervise a process of “agreement-making”, and a process of ‘truth-telling’ between the Australian Government and First Nations people – branch members have vowed to work closely with others in the community on the issue.

Federal Labor has already clearly committed to develop a proposal for constitutional recognition, which is based on ‘broad support of the First Nations people’. However, it is recognised that a successful referendum on a ‘voice to Parliament’ will require strong community and bi-partisan support, which will necessitate a massive grassroots movement similar to the marriage equality issue a few years ago.

Calf roping ban supported

Joining the growing number of Queenslanders opposed to calf roping at rodeo events, the Annerley Branch has urged the Palaszczuk Government to implement a ban and will formerly propose an amendment to that effect in the Party’s state policy platform.

Supporting calls from Animal Liberation Queensland, Animals Australia, RSPCA Qld, Australian Veterinary Association and the Animal Welfare League Qld, the Branch has noted community sentiment on the issue which views the practice as ‘cruel’, requiring a ban. Already states such as Victoria and South Australia has instituted a similar prohibition on the activity.

The Branch has since written to the Minister for Agriculture, Hon Mark Furner MP, informing him of the resolution and the plan to push for a State Platform change at this years ALP State Conference in Mackay.

In addition to the change in public opinion, opponents of calf roping also cite new perspectives expressed in animal welfare science that support claims regarding cruelty.

Order of Australia needs change

Outraged by the insensitive and controversial comments of Christian extremist, Margaret Court, the Annerley Branch has condemned her recent granting of the Companion of the Order of Australia.

In a resolution adopted by the Branch, members expressed that Ms Court’s sustained campaign against the LBGTIQ+ community was ‘offensive, hurtful and repugnant’. As a result, the Branch is calling for urgent reform of the Council for the Order of Australia which is currently dominated by Coalition Government appointments, including almost fifty percent recommended by the Prime Minister.

Branch members wish to see the next Federal Labor government undertake a review relating to:
• the process of appointment to the Council for the Order of Australia;
• the overall composition of the Council, specifically to reduce the number of politically partisan appointments;
• the process of nomination and awarding the Order of Australia, including developing a process to facilitate the awarding to a greater diversity of recipients, including those less prominent and well-known members of society; and
• the criteria for receiving an Order of Australia, specifically to reduce the possibility of awarding to recipients who promote divisive and discriminatory views and practices.

This week Labor leader Anthony Albanese launched Labor’s ‘Secure Australian Jobs Plan’.

Australian workers will benefit from more job security, receive better pay and a fairer industrial relations system under an Albanese Labor Government.

Under Labor’s workplace policies, more workers will be able to plan for their futures with certainty.

Being in secure work means people can get a bank loan to buy a home or start a business. It means they can take leave when they’re sick or need to look after their loved ones, without putting their jobs at risk. It means they can have the confidence to spend money to stimulate the Australian economy, boost growth and create more jobs.

The COVID pandemic has exposed the risks to workers and to the national economy of insecure work.

When the pandemic began, casuals – who account for about a quarter of the Australian workforce – lost their jobs eight times faster than those in more secure forms of employment.

A million casual workers were excluded from JobKeeper, forcing many of them into Centrelink queues.

When you add in other forms of insecure work – contractors, freelancers, gig workers and those on temporary contracts or working in labour hire – nearly half the workforce misses out on the many benefits of a permanent job.

If you’re a woman, young or from a migrant background you’re more likely to be stuck in insecure work.

According to the Centre for Future Work, the recent jobs rebound has been overwhelmingly comprised of insecure jobs. That will act as a handbrake on Australia’s recovery because people won’t have the confidence to spend their money, fearing they could quickly lose their jobs again if there is another crisis or downturn.

So, to improve job security, a Labor Government will:
• Make job security an object of the Fair Work Act 2009 so that it becomes a core focus for the Fair Work Commission’s decisions;
• Extend the powers of the Fair Work Commission to include “employee-like” forms of work, allowing it to better protect people in new forms of work, like app-based gig work, from exploitation and dangerous working conditions;
• Legislate a fair, objective test to determine when a worker can be classified as a casual so people have a clearer pathway to permanent work;
• Limit the number of consecutive fixed-term contracts an employer can offer for the same role, with an overall cap of 24 months;
• Ensure a Labor government is a model employer by creating more secure employment in the Australian Public Service where temporary forms of work are being used inappropriately; and
• Use government procurement powers to ensure taxpayers’ money is used to support secure employment.
To deliver better pay Labor will:
• Work with state and territory governments, unions and industry to develop portable entitlement schemes for annual leave, sick leave and long service leave for Australians in insecure work; and
• Ensure that workers employed through labour hire companies receive no less than workers employed directly.

Labor’s vision for more secure jobs with better pay stands in stark contrast with the Morrison Government’s IR proposals, which would make job security worse and allow for cuts to workers’ pay.

The Liberals and Nationals think the path to restoring Australia’s prosperity is through pay cuts and attacks on workers.

These IR commitments are just the first in a series Labor will make before the next election to deliver more secure jobs with better pay because Labor is on the side of workers.