No I haven't been affected yet by the WC, as you say rehctub. But interestingly I worked in the restaurant industry for 20 yrs or so as an entertainer and had one residency for over 10 yrs in which the venue tripled in size. But that was when there was a restaurant industry.

Luckily I'm adaptable rehctub and although still a musician, I now do things I'm not as good at for a living. But for those less provided with skills and/or adaptability, we still need some sort of basic set of principals to ensure that we extend the benefits of a society to all, if not the majority. Workchoices disturbed this principal, this basic tenant.

If the populace are not rewarded sufficiently for working, who is it that spends their money in these restaurants of your friends, the select few that are rewarded handsomely for the time they spend working.? Other laws affecting restaurants such as tax benefit changes killed the restaurant industry years ago unfortunately anyway rehctub.

And as for duds the Howard Govt for me certainly was that. The economy inherited from Keating was a gem. All they had to do was sit on their hands, ride the crest of the mining boom, sell our profitable assets, Telstra etc, to people. And like Tom Thumb said "what a good boy am I". Oh.. And they massively reduced their financial obligations to the States by introducing a GST.

Had they not distributed the bulk of tax cuts to wealthier people during the Howard era, had they not dipped so deeply into the pork barrel, had they not drawn the race card with children overboard etc, there may have been some excuse for trashing peoples rights in the workplace.

Even as we speak Tony Abbott and friends are drawing the race card by claiming the Govt's policy is attracting boat people rehctub. It's a disgrace really. I fear that the rights of all will be eroded further, by pressing these buttons as the Liberal right seek support for their agenda.

And Belly let them kick me! cheers

T2; No I haven't been affected yet by the WC, as you say rehctub

Thank you for being honnest. Just goes to prove what I have said many times. Some people just can't help but concern themselves with other peoples business.

As i have said before, we are all provided with an equal opportunity to fail.

With the amount of support available for people to enhance their skill levels, excluding those with learning disabillities, there is simply little excuse for being under skilled in todays world.

The fact that the low skilled are paid so high means that in many cases the 'higher skilled' don't get paid what they deserve.

Eg. person holding a 'stop go sign' on $24 per hour, while many having done trades get paid less. Now that's a joke!

Geoff Kelly, that indeed is a child like post.
Are you aware your self interest has blinded you.
Did you read examinator post about what lays under some posts.
Are you not aware Labor can not honesty be branded left?
It is your party's abandoned ground we hold.
Come the election?
Is your understanding so very bad you fail to know it is no joy for you.
Read my post history I AM LABOR.
But never far away from the center, those such as you ,Abbott, a host of others rammed American right Republicanism down your party's throat.
Not caring that your back bone, middle of the road voters are repelled by that push.
Rechtub, often I thought you to be a good bloke but miss informed, your dad was a better man.
Do you for a second? think we should leave ^the failures to starve^

Thinker 2 you make some good points.

Rehctub why is it that you think people should mind their own business when it comes to WC? Just because anyone of us might be doing okay or be unaffected by WC does not mean that we should turn our backs on those who were truly affected with a reduction in incomes.

My daughter, an older student, experienced a real loss in income with her employer's decision not to pay penalty rates. They also had no breaks during working hours. She was just one of many and the staff in the restaurant she was working were told they were not 'allowed' to discuss their pays with each other. This happens all the time - little mini-dictatorships.

Do we turn our backs on poverty and homeless just because we are not poor or homeless?

I don't get your point, but if I have misunderstood please explain what you mean.

Belly, every bone in my body is screaming and tells me to ignore you, but I cannot. I am bored.
Belly, it is not my self-interest that spawned my comments, it is my philosophy. To quote Winston Churchill on socialism, "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Of course you are a Labor voter and a socialist! I could see that. And you are an atheist.
What I really enjoy is your strident attack on the Liberal Party! You really care, don't you. You cannot believe that Abbot and his supporters, Nick Minchin, Andrew Robb, Joe Hockey and Barnaby Joyce are actually getting traction against the lies and double-talk spruiked by your leader, Krudd. Surely his Great Big New Tax on Everything is in trouble as the IPCC unravels and dissolves into oblivion? Do you really believe in AGW? If so, why? Why does Rudd have to lie about everything, including the socialist agenda to form a world government that can tax and fine Australia and Australians?
Remember that we are not on the same page Belly, you are a socialist and I believe in capitalism. Why do you socialists have to lie about AGW and GW? It is your problem Belly, not mine, but Australians are beginning to wake up!
I just wish you could explain your party' agenda so that I could understand why they are in favour of a GREAT BIG NEW TAX ON EVERYTHING!
Geoffrey Kelley

I wonder how many working Australians actually care about Work Choices? It does not affect me. I am a small business owner and have six employees. WC does not affect them either. I believe that the unions are screaming about WC because they are the big losers, and they used their massive resources to finance the ALP in the last election. I suspect the Labor Voters might be guilty of "believing their own bulls..t."
In the meantime Australians are waking up to Krudd and his maniacal belief in AGW, whilst the wheels are falling off the IPCC every day. Only today we see that the president of the UNFCCC, Mr Yvo de Boer, has resigned following the failure of the Copenhagen Conference. Krudd ridiculed Lord Christopher Monckton for spreading a mad right-wing scare campaign that the UN wanted a world govt. No, it was not the right-wingers but the socialists. Have a look at page 18 of the UNFCC draft proposal, September 2009, for the details of the socialist world govt. the IPCC and the UN wanted to ratify, but failed.
Then ask Krudd what his views are on the UNFCCC Draft Proposal, September 2009.
Geoffrey Kelley