David,Boaz, thank you for your kind words, unfortuneatly I am on a part disability pension, my wife works 15 hours per week. My last job, I held for 21 years, it was 21 years of continual imtimidation, emotianal blackmail, unpaid overtime, 12-13 hour days,huge workload, no breaks for much of the 21 years. I had a mortage, so not wanting to lose my job, I percivered, however after 2 nervous breakdowns, the second flattened me, it took 9 months for me to be able to get out of bed, and I now have chronic major depression, generalised anxiety disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome and many phobia's for example OCD {OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER} and agrophobia { fear of open spaces} and professional legal psychiarists have told me that I'll never work again, trouble is I have a 6 y.o. daughter to support, and cannot. David you may be a good employer, however not all are, and my experience has left me bitter, because I want to work, but can't thanks to an unscrupulous employer.I would not be the only case in Australia.

Dear Shonga
the only thing I can do mate is encourage you :)
I do appreciate your position.. can I suggest something ?

I don't know if you have any Church involvement, and I do know there are many 'Churches' where even I don't fit, but there are many also where a person in your situation could experience great encouragement, and quite possibly opportunities for extra work of a non threatening nature. But, more than anything, (this might seem simplistic, but its not) a relationship with God through Christ will make a vast difference. If you have difficulties with believing in Christ, I surely cannot change that, I can merely testify of the change in my own life and be a signpost.
Nothing can change the definitely bitter past you endured, but 'you' can change :) and be changed. Sounds like there is significant psychological scarring, and that won't heal overnight.

Let me leave you these words from Paul (IICorinthians4)

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

I've not been able to give my firstborn son a 21st, or an 18th, nor my daughter an 18th, was able to help a bit with 21st, have rarely been able to buy clothes over the past 3 yrs, we've lived from the Salvos on that score :) and I feel it acutely. But I told them our land will bless them muchhh more that those things, and they understand. (I'm asset rich/cash poor)

Hang in :)

David, I am a Christian, I am Catholic, and I appreciate your advice, I may not have explained myself properly. I have a short attentsion span now, cannot concerntrate on anything for any length of time, which is why I am so bitter. My previous employeer took my ability to work, and support my family, and this exploitation goes on in many workplaces, obviously not yours, thank goodness, we also have lived at the SALVO'S, LIFELINE, ST VINCENT DePAUL'S ECT for clothing, and we own our own home, so things could be a lot worse. I don't feel sorry for myself, I feel sorry for my daughter, because the guilt I feel for my medical condition is great. I won't be able to give her the education that I had planned to, with is why I am highlighting the increased power to employers, because what was done to me was done under existing law. There are many unscrupulous employers out there that do this type of thing to their employees, and they will now do what every business, indeed most households do, decrease their costs, at the expense of their employees. The tragity is that decent hard working employers such as yourself will be forced to follow their lead, just to compete, and stay in business, which is why I am against the new IR laws, I am not against business in general, or indeed employers in general, but this law does not discriminate against good/bad employers David. Which leaves vunerable employees at the mercy of some bad employers, which I believe is not fair, Jesus fought the authorities of that time, and was crusified for it, it seems to me that Jesus paid for the sins of mankind, so we do not need to crusify ordinary employees, especially the low paid, already struggling to survive, I note that the churches have all come out opposing these laws for good reason. Once again thank you for your kind words, and encouragement, they are much appreciated, may God bless, Regards,Shaun

We are too consumed with reducing tariffs at all costs.I don't care if I have to pay a few cents more for fruit, veg and meat,we have an extremely efficient primary industry.Food is cheap here anyway.

I think we should select certain industries to protect and thus maintain employment here,since to a certain degree the wages gap between China and Australia will narrow.What is the point of having super cheap products if no one has a job here to be able to afford them?

I find this globalisation push very sinister.Every time a small business is forced to shut because of cheap imports,it puts the business into the hands of those with lots of capital.It actually limits competition.Those with capital have more bargining power,they can buy cheaper and with fewer competitors sell at a higher price.Notice how Coles and Wollies are driving their competitors from the market.

We will eventually have a situation whereby it will be almost impossible for individuals to rise from nothing to wealth.Dick Smith recently said he would not achieve his wealth in todays climate.

Are we to have a nation of subjugated drones,working for multi nationals?

I don't think this has been carefully thought out and is driven by ideology and the power of multi nationals.

The Labor Party had better wake up to themselves since even though the Coalition are good at economic management,I don't think they are looking for what's good for our economic and social soul,since the two are inextricably linked.We still believe in a fair go for all.

Arjay, I couldn't agree more with your post, sadly it's the Liberal Party who promote this ideology of globalisation, and follow like sheep, the lead they seem to think the USA is giving them. However the USA farm lobby is a powerfull one,and subsidy still applies to the agri-industry there, which is akin to socialism rather than capitalism, but the Australian Party whose responsibility it is to represent our farmers, the National Party seems to be completely dominated by their coalition partner, to the extent they sell rural and regional areas short, repeatedly, which to me is annoying, because rural people especially are some of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet, and with extremes in wheather to contend with, they need all the help they can get, which should be forthcoming, from their elected representitives, and sadly in the majority of cases is not, instead the Liberal's economic rathonalism policies prevail. I am very disillusioned with Australian politics at the moment, it was clearer in the old days, when each party, didn't seem to merge with their friends and foe's.

Yes Shonga,I've been a passionate backer of the coalition in the last two elections but this issue of IR reforms,tariffs, dominance of multi-nationals through globalisation is an enormous issue.

I'm now thinking the impossible, at the next election I will vote the weak kneed,socialist,incompetent economic vandals in once again just to stop or delay this stupidity.

John Howard is playing the usual sneaky agenda and will offer us a more palitable option and still achieve his objective.

There has been no open debate on these issues and this is not democracy!Can we give Labor a brain and courage transplant?