A slur on middlemen, Hedghog? No-one ever accepted a job from me unless they were certain that they knew more about the job than any other job on offer and they were satisfied that it was the best opportunity available. No employer ever hired a candidate from me unless they were certain that they understood more about that candidate than any other candidate available and they were satisfied that my candidate would provide the best mix of skills, abilities and productivity.

I only ever got paid when the best candidate was matched to the best job oppotunity. Often the best person wasn't even looking and the best job wasn't even advertised. Some started in under-paid jobs and went on to become Partners. I was paid a small portion of the value added to both parties over the length of their relationship. I was paid well. I retired (to a manual job of my choosing) at age 45.

Perseus, Oppotunity? Quit whilst your behind,slave trader.

I have been watching the arm wrestling over the Governments new IR changes with great amusement and with some serious study, as I am interested generally in the health of the Australian work place (being part of it!). Little discussion has been had about the concepts of the open job market, driven by the market forces of supply and demand. Surely skill shortage is a product of previous low wages and conditions which resulted in few entrants to the teaching and learning of that skill. The shortage provides a competitive job market for that skill and up goes wages and conditions in an attempt to capture that skill more effectively. OK that’s the perfect world for sure, and I would agree other factor come into play (like emerging and vanishing job types), but what will happen now, when the Howard Government allows skilled over-seas workers to be fast tracked through our immigration system and released into the Australian industrial landscape? Is that not counter to the Liberal mantra of free and open market competition? Now when we have a high demand for our skills, we will have no corresponding swing of the salaries and conditions pendulum.

Some posters are so remote from reality it hurts,like the comment that says fixed income and pensioners will be better of if workers take a wage hit?
Surely that is quite wrong and far from the obvious its author claims.
Today John Howard a man never to proud to lie , in the house said Paris riots proved the need for IR reform in Australia!
It in fact pionts to our future after a large pool of cheap labour/ unemployed has been created by this bill.
We once thought world trade would reduce povity in the third world, some now wish to import it to Australia and say we will be better of for it.
We are each able to have a view ,few however have the dignety to remember the times they got it wrong Howard will remind some far to often in the next few years.