MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

THE WA ELECTION: With only one week to go, responses to our request from the political parties for their Small Business Policies have been from the Nationals and Liberal, and notwithstanding the slim pickings in their policies we know what they are offering, so far. However, the only other response has been from the WA Greens that has provided us with their comprehensive Small Business Policy. From the remainder, including Labor, silence, could it be they don’t have a small business policy and/or are reluctant to say so.

PENALTY RATES: The Decision of the Fair Work Commission has certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons, in particular with Bill Shorten screaming with false and fiened deceitful outrage and vetting his spleen on the Government. The Australian, March 1, 2017 reported: “‘Battle lines are being drawn over penalty rates’. Bill Shorten stood before Labor MPs yesterday and declared the battle over penalty rates was the “fight Labor was born for”. If he wins office, Shorten has promised to reverse last week’s Fair Work Commission decision to cut penalty rates in the retail, hospitality, fast food and pharmacy sectors.” (See report below)

The facts however have been brought to light by Robert Gottliebsen in his commentary ‘Untangling the penalty rate knot’, by stating: “A large number of politicians, journalists, union officials and security analysts have not understood how the “reduction” in award penalty rates will impact workers and listed enterprises in the retail sector.” (See article below)

We of course hail the Decision as a victory for common sense, and whilst Bill Shorten seeks to make political millage out of it, he is at the same time clearly demonstrating his contemptuous distain for small business that will benefit from the Decision and the consequential employment that will flow. Once a unionist always a unionist!