From The Campaign Trail

In the past two weeks I have really enjoyed meeting small business owners and operators in the Ryan electorate. I have had the opportunity to listen, as well as talking about Labor's plan to streamline superannuation with a Superannuation Clearing House. My visits to over 200 businesses have allowed me to explain the small business benefits flowing from Labor's Forward with Fairness IR policy. I have made it clear that Labor will protect small business from unlawful industrial action, and outlined exemptions for small business from unfair dismissal claims: for a business with less than 15 employees no claim for unfair dismissal can be made in the first 12 months of employment. For more detail of Labor’s policy go to http://www.alp.org.au/media/0807/msdloploo282.php

Kevin Rudd’s 50% Education Tax Refund is great news for working families - and for about 2.3 million Australian kids. Many families will receive $1,125 per year. Battling mums and dads will be able to claim:

• A 50% refund every year for up to $750 of education expenses for each child attending primary school (maximum $375/child, per year)
  
• A 50% refund every year for up to $1,500 of education expenses for each child attending secondary school (maximum $750/child, per year).

In summary: a typical family with a primary school aged child and a secondary school aged child would receive a tax refund of up to $1,125/year. Full details at http://www.alp.org.au/media/1007/msedutlootre190.php

From the beginning of his leadership Kevin Rudd stressed the importance of education. In fact in January 2007 he released his vision for an Education Revolution - http://www.alp.org.au/media/0107/spe230.php. And throughout this year Rudd and Labor have stressed the need for Australia to have a first class Broadband system. Education and first class broadband are the building blocks for future prosperity. Labor's Tax Plan for Australia's Future brings these vital building tools together. Labor's plan will invest $2.3 billion in financial support to help working families meet the growing costs of educating their children. Families on Family Tax Benefit (Part A) will be able to claim 50% tax refund for eligible education expenses. Education items include laptops, home computers and associated costs, home internet connection, printers, education software; and school text books. Full details are at http://www.alp.org.au/media/1007/msedutlootre190.php

I am delighted with Federal Labor's announcement that it will commit up to $500 million out of Auslink 2 and 3 for the $1.5 billion Northern Missing Link Tunnel. The Tunnel will take traffic from the Western Freeway at Toowong roundabout direct to the Inner City Bypass at Bowen Hills. That is really great news for frustrated commuters stuck in morning and evening traffic. The Northern Link Tunnel could reduce congestion on Milton Road and Coronation Drive by about 20 per cent. Importantly, bus travel time from Kenmore to the CBD could be cut by 45 per cent. Motorists will be able to drive from the Centenary Highway to the East-West Arterial at the airport without passing a set of traffic lights. Details of the announcement by Martin Ferguson can be found at http://www.alp.org.au/media/1007/mstran170.php

Yesterday Howard and Costello smugly announced tax cuts, after a decade of neglect of Australia's health and education services, and a decade of disregard of Australia's degraded infrastructure - including broadband. They did so after a decade of ignoring the plight Australia's indigenous peoples. And they did so after a decade of denying the impact of climate change. And of course they found the money for tax cuts a nanosecond before the election. Competent economic management is not about giving bribes at election time. Competent economic management is not about hoarding public money. It is about really planning for the Australia’s future. It is about recognising that Australians want and deserve quality services and investment Howard and Costello have nothing to be smug about when they claim superiority in economic management.

John Howard has now been converted to indigenous reconciliation. I have a view about his motivation and timing, but let's put that aside. And let's put aside the past decade where reconciliation went backwards. In his Sydney Institute speech John Howard made pledges about reconciliation. In so doing he talked of his personal struggle, his journey, and his difficulty in putting aside the times and attitudes of the 1950's and 1960's. In other words dealing with his past. Dealing with the past in order to get a better future. Imagine his struggle if he had been stolen from his family, incarcerated in an institution, denied education, condemned to a life of marginalisation and disadvantage, and fundamentally ignored by his wider community. Now there is a journey - there's plenty of information about people who have made that journey at http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/index.html

The election has finally been officially called: it will be held on 24 November, and Australians will get to make their choice, at last! At least, those who are enrolled can make a choice! The most urgent thing: check if you are on the roll correctly, at https://oevf.aec.gov.au/ and download an enrolment form at http://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/Update_enrolment.htm if you are not!

Given the recent debate, I believe it is important for the people of Ryan to know precisely where I stand on the death penalty. I joined Amnesty International in 1975. I have served as President of the Australian Section, and as International Chairperson. For over 30 years I have read Amnesty's reports on genocide, mass killings, disappearances, torture, rape and executions. Amnesty reports are encounters with real evil. Yet, despite that, Amnesty is completely opposed to the death penalty. No qualifications. Opposed in all cases and in all circumstance. That is my position. I am totally and unconditionally opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. Slowly but surely the world is moving toward the abolition of the death penalty. I believe that is the best and only course forward. I have a deep sympathy for the victims of terrorism, the victims of crime and the victims of human rights abuses. I also have a deep sympathy for the relatives of those who have been executed but were subsequently found innocent. I have sat with some who have been through that nightmare, and also talked with victims of terror and abuse. My position remains clear: opposition in all cases and circumstances. I am also mindful of the statement attributed to Ghandi: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind".

The Howard Government continually claims superiority in economic management. That claim needs to be measured against their disgraceful use of taxpayer monies to fund an incredible number of politically tainted pro-Government advertisements appearing everywhere in the media. While many Australians can't get to a dentist the Howard Government throws your money around in a desperate bid to remain in power. While our education systems struggle for resources the Howard Government knows no limit on its wastage - John Howard is now spending about a million dollars a day on his propaganda. By election time he will have spent about $2 billion - yes $2 billion - on government advertising. This is not economic management it is economic vandalism.

Here they go again. When in trouble, play the old racism card! Minister Andrews, displaying extraordinary ignorance of refugee law, yesterday dumped all over the Sudanese community. This is really low life stuff given the cruel and inhumane conditions that bring Sudanese refugees to our country. But it is all to be expected. I mentioned some time ago that this government plays on the politics of fear - they are masters of the art of division. This video provides some insight into the frightening world of the Howard Government: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5_PSAGIkh4

The CSIRO has again confirmed our worst fears. Their report, Climate Change in Australia, says we are only just beginning to feel the real impacts of climate change. Many parts of Australia face hotter, dryer conditions with increased risk of devastating bush fires. We will all be affected - it is already flowing through to the fruit and vegetable market. This comes after a decade of Howard denial, policy failure and unforgivable inaction. Environment Minister Turnbull reacted to the CSIRO report with "we need to reduce greenhouse gases". Well spotted, Malcolm! But Australia will still not have a real seat at the Bali UN Conference on Climate Change - we are still regarded as climate outcasts for failing to ratify Kyoto. The CSIRO report: http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps3j6.html

Howard's WorkChoices promotes unfairness - under his barely-fair Fairness Test the Workplace Authority recently rejected over one thousand agreements: http://www.oea.gov.au/graphics.asp?showdoc=/NEWS/2007/news_070905.asp. Today we have more confirmation these laws are unfair. The Australia at Work study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney found that workers on Australian Workplace Agreements earned on average $106 a week less than those on collective agreements. Of course Howard Government Ministers immediately attacked the researchers. The methodology is fine - it's the results that the Government does not like: their system is unfair and they know it. Check out the report plus methodology: http://www.smh.com.au/pdf/Australia@Work%20The%20Benchmark%20Report.pdf