Election 2007 - Political parties respond to printing industry
With only days until the eagerly awaited election, Printing Industries has released responses from the major political parties to a series of 30 questions on issues of concern to printing industry companies.
The initial questions were compiled following a specially convened joint meeting of the Printing Industries Policy and Employee Relations Committees. The questionnaire was then refined and expanded based on feedback received from Printing Industries member companies in the lead-up to the announcement of the Federal Election date.
Printing Industries CEO Phillip Andersen, said all parties were given the same list of questions covering industrial relations, the economy, environment, taxation, trade policy, training and printing industry specific issues.
"We are providing the responses in full on our website so that individuals can make their own assessment. There are some areas of policy difference and these are presented below for the scrutiny of readers," he said.
Industrial Relations
Minimum conditions
Coalition will maintain the present system of minimum standards for hours of work, pay scales and leave.
Labor will widen the number of minimum entitlements for employees under a safety net and use industry awards as a base for other entitlements.
Greens propose comprehensive industry-wide awards to give rights and entitlements in excess of legislative minimums with workplace and union-led bargaining to be the primary tool for achieving industrial outcomes.
Workplace agreements
Coalition intend to maintain the existing system in regard to Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) and collective agreements.
Labor intend to progressively abandon AWAs and move towards a system in which collective bargaining may be imposed on employers by their employees or unions.
Greens propose industry-wide, union-negotiated collective agreements to build on award standards.
Unfair dismissals
Coalition will maintain the existing system with unfair dismissal actions being limited to employees of businesses with more than 100 employees.
Labor will provide access to unfair dismissal actions to employees of all sized businesses. Special processes of local conferences for small businesses ( <15 employees) will be put in place with dismissals to be adjudged against a "Fair Dismissal Code".
Greens intend to give access to unfair dismissal actions to all, including casuals, probationers and fixed term employees.
Parental leave
Coalition will maintain the present 52 weeks unpaid entitlement.
Labor intend each parent to have access to separate periods of 52 weeks unpaid leave ( a total of 104 weeks) with an option for one parent to seek to take all of the leave. Flexible work arrangements may be sought up to the child's school age.
Greens propose a national parental leave scheme available to same-sex relationships.
Redundancy
Coalition will maintain current provisions which do not allow redundant employees to take unfair dismissal action and which exempt small businesses (<15 employees) from severance payments.
Labor intend that genuine redundancy terminations not be subject to unfair dismissal laws. The small business exemption from severance payments will be maintained.
Greens will allow terminations because of redundancy to be subject to unfair dismissal actions. A national redundancy pay standard will remove the small business exemption from severance payments.
OHS and Workers Compensation.
Both the Coalition and Labor support the introduction of nationally harmonised OHS and Worker's Compensation systems.
The Greens support the reinstatement of OHS and Worker's Compensation provisions as they existed prior to WorkChoices.
Training
Coalition support maintenance of the current system where industry has input into national training packages.
Labor support a national system of vocational education and training with increased resources from government and employers.
Greens will seek publicly owned and funded VET and TAFE systems for all.
Industry Policy
Succession Planning
Coalition not supportive of the introduction of an industry specific scheme. Instead they suggest that the printing industry make use of existing generic schemes.
Labor no current policy but is prepared to discuss the issue if elected to Government.
Greens have no stated policy.
Printing Industry adjustment package to help companies restructure or exit
Coalition believes exit programs deliver poor results in industries with low barriers to entry such as the printing industry. An exit program for the printing industry would require measures restricting the entry of new business.
Labor sees the establishment of the Wood and Paper Industry Innovation Council will be the forum for addressing such industry specific issues.
Greens have no stated policy.
Does your party have specific policies that encourage greater printing to be undertaken in Australia particularly by government departments, agencies and corporations?
The Coalition say that while it is desirable for Australian firms to be used, that is not and should not be the only consideration for the expenditure of taxpayers money.
Labor will use government procurement to foster industry development. Labor will provide a price reference advantage for Australian suppliers of 20 per cent with an additional five per cent for those companies in regional Australia.
Greens have no stated policy.
Trade Policy
Would you support subjecting all future Free Trade Agreements to economic modelling at sectoral level?
Coalition say final FTA's will be subject to a National Interest Analysis. A Regulatory Impact Statement, including an assessment of the impact on different sectors, will also be prepared.
Labor have a preference for multinational negotiations.
Greens would remove Australia from existing FTA's and enter into multilateral trade agreements except where a bilateral trade agreement favours a developing country.
Taxation
No significant difference between the Coalition and Labor.
Indexing personal income tax brackets to the Consumer Price Index
Coalition would continue adjusting personal income tax brackets on a regular basis.
Labor believe that the goal of reducing marginal tax rates is a higher tax reform priority than automatically indexing tax thresholds.
Greens support indexation for lower income earners only.
Would your party support exempting capital investment from the GST as a way of helping reduce the amount of funds required to invest in technology?
Coalition had no commitment.
Labor says that changing the application of the GST would not be the ALP's preferred mechanism. While many businesses would no doubt prefer not to pay GST which they will be refunded anyway, this system is integral to compliance associated with this tax, and steps to change it would give rise to cash flow and administrative complexity for suppliers who would be required to provide goods and services GST free or on an input taxed basis.
Greens are not supportive.
Will the removal of the Capital Gains Tax on sale of plant and equipment be supported by your party?
Coalition says that taxpayers who buy plant and equipment that depreciates over time are able to reduce their taxable income by claiming a depreciation expense. Where depreciation applies, no capital gains tax applies.
Labor is committed to ongoing business tax reform to ensure there are appropriate incentives for capital investment.
Greens support the removal of all concessional arrangements for Capital Gains Tax.
The Environment
What is your party's view and position with respect to environmental labelling?
Coalition have pursued alternative labelling schemes for a number of specific products or issues and only mandates the use of environmental labels where there are clear environmental benefits. It remains reluctant to introduce a compulsory broad based eco-labelling scheme due to concerns that it may breach World Trade Organisation (WTO) requirements.
Labor support a life cycle approach to the evaluation of environmental impacts of goods and services. It supports eco-labelling to assist consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
Greens support environmental labelling and advocate a system under which every product clearly displays the water used and greenhouse gasses emitted during its production. Such information is seen as being critical to inform consumers about the environmental footprints associated with each product available for purchase.
Does you party support the application of extended producer responsibilities on imported goods?
Coalition prefer a voluntary or co-regulatory product stewardship approach. They have concerns about extended producer responsibility schemes.
Labor support the development of a framework of product stewardship agreements for particular sectors in cooperation with the States and Territories.
Greens support the application of extended producer responsibilities on imported goods.
What is your party's policy on carbon taxes?
Coalition will introduce a domestic emissions trading system as the primary mechanism for achieving long term emissions reductions by 2012.
Labor is committed to introducing an effective emission trading scheme by 2010.
Greens advocate a gradual and long term shift in the tax system from work-based taxes to taxes on natural resources and pollution. The Greens support the introduction of a carbon tax levied on electricity and gas suppliers; a national carbon trading scheme; and other ecological taxes and charges.