Protests against IR

By Ed Merrison
DEMONSTRATORS took to the streets last week to protest against industrial relations reforms in the run-up to the election.
Premier Steve Bracks joined local people and members of the La Trobe Rights at Work Community Coalition at a protest at Belgrave’s Puffing Billy Station and then later at Emerald Lake Park on Saturday, 18 November.
About 30 members of the coalition also turned up in Belgrave to wave banners and chant slogans during the visit of Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu on Wednesday, 15 November.
Katie Hall, the group’s community campaign coordinator, said it was protesting against Mr Baillieu’s visit because he “stands shoulder to shoulder with John Howard with regard to the extreme IR laws”.
“The La Trobe Rights at Work Community Coalition really encourage people in our community to think about their rights at work when they vote,” she said.
But Nicholas McGowan, a spokesman for Mr Baillieu, said voters could rest assured a Liberal Government would protect their rights and offer more jobs.
He accused Mr Bracks of simultaneously claiming the ‘sky was going to fall in’ over the IR laws while ‘trumpeting record employment’ in the state.