Howard neuters, Rudd kills.

Is there a new April Fools Day? Is it today? Please tell me it’s today, because I just read that Kevin Rudd plans to scrap the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

I know, it’s absurd, couldn’t possibly be true.

SCRAPPED UNDER LABOR:
* Australian Industrial Relations Commission (103 years old)
* Fair Pay Commission (2 years old)
* Office of the Employment Advocate (10 years old)
* Office of Workplace Services (2 years old?)
* Australian Building and Construction Commission (3 years old)

One of these was NOT created by John Howard. In fact, it was created several decades before he was even born.

Why the AIRC? Mr Rudd claims:
1. It is “a 20th century institution that is too remote from the needs of modern Australian workplaces”
2. “Australian working families need an industrial relations system with a fair and independent umpire.”

1. So it doesn’t meet the needs of today’s workplaces? How? Is it too far away? Too slow? Favours justice? I’m pretty sure it’s met the needs of everyone I know that has utilised its services. In fact I’m not aware of any single incident that would suggest such a thing. I must be missing something – there must be overwhelmingly different workplace requirements around now for this to be justified. What are they?

2. Its not fair or independent? I don’t recall unions or employers seriously making any such claims. But there must be overwhelming proof of bias - otherwise Rudd wouldn’t have said it. Where is it?

There is no proof of any need, nor any call, for the AIRC to go. An efficient institution that has safeguarded worker’s rights for a century is not your play-thing, Kevin. Do not destroy them with your petty Orwellian IR projects.

Rudd wants a new system. And He shall call it:
'"Fair Work Australia."'

I would have gone with Super-Happy-Good-Worker’s-Worry-Place, but his is good too. Howard neutered the AIRC. Rudd would have it put down.

ALP will now be placed last on my ballot paper. Final straw.

UPDATE: There is simply no need to scrap the AIRC in order to ease any issues caused by distance - increase the number of courts, and space them around. It's a fair court system with due process. A guy coming into the workplace with powers to judge, and make a quick binding decision, is not. I have a lot of trust in the AIRC, much like other courts, and a lot of distrust of those that seek to scrap it.

I know our legal system is expensive, slow, and inconvenient - but justice is neither cheap or easy. I have no intention of tolerating police with the power to try and convict on sight, and the same goes for IR justice. I doubt Hockey's claims that "Fair Work Australia" will be a biased pro-union hit squad, but even if that was the case, I'd mourne the loss of an actual independent arbitrator no less.

And Sharan Burrow from the ACTU, the plan does not "make a lot of sense". "Working Australians will be well served by a one-stop shop that is geographically accessible and less legalistic".

Legalistic? LEGALISTIC?! Nuzzling away towards a parliamentary pension much, Sharan? I am steamed.