Council bust up over IR laws

By Sarah Schwager
THE Federal Government’s industrial relations laws caused conflict among Casey councillors last week.
Councillors were divided at last week’s council meeting over a recommendation to write to the Minister for Workplace Relations expressing the views of residents who attended recent public forums on the WorkChoices Legislation held in the City of Casey.
Four forums were held from April to June giving Casey residents a chance to discuss the legislation with a panel of expert speakers.
Following the public forums, the council noted in the recommendation that there was an almost unanimous view from residents that they were opposed to the IR laws.
Only two people out of the 120 to 150 people who attended the sessions supported the legislation.
But councillor Lorraine Wreford said she was concerned that many of the people attending the meetings were involved with a union.
Speakers at the forums included representatives from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), Australian Industry Group, The Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU), the Greens Party, local MPs and State Government ministers.
Cr Wreford said the views expressed in the forum could not represent the whole of Casey.
But councillor Steve Beardon said if the council was to survey all of Casey, they would find the majority of residents did not support the legislation.
“There is no doubt that the IR laws are hurting people and hurting them hard,” he said.
Councillor Colin Butler said the forums should never have taken place and other councillors agreed that the sessions encouraged councillors to play political games.
But mayor Kevin Bradford said the council was elected to represent the residents, whether it be one resident or 250.
Councillor Michael Farley said running such forums was the council’s responsibility.
“Educating the public is not a waste of time. It’s what we do,” he said.
The recommendation was carried, with five out of 11 councillors voting against it.