Unlikely Messiah for Iemma
July 8th 2008 00:40
I am trying as hard as possible to not sound facetious in saying what I am about to say.
Truly, it is difficult for me, at times, to avoid a bad pun. But here it goes: the New South Wales state government must be thanking God for Work Choices in the run-up to World Youth Day.
Terrible pun, I know. But the point stands, with NSW Transport Minister John Watkins saying that he is prepared to invoke the much-reviled Howard Government legislation in order to stop a 24-hour rail strike inconveniently timed to wreak most havoc smack bang in the middle of the Catholic festival. The six-day long event has been carefully orchestrated in conjunction with the State Government to ensure that the approximated 125000 international pilgrims can move around Sydney as smoothly as possible. Considering that the number exceeds that which visited during the 2000 Olympics, it is without doubt a big job. Not to mention World Youth Day also heralds the first time Pope Benedict XVI will make the voyage Down Under.
All that considered, you can see why the already damaged Iemma Government would want to avoid a collapse in the rail network. I mean, it functions badly enough on a good day. For a State Government that is already the subject of whispers as to who will replace the Premier... And it’s not a question of ‘if’, it is a question of ‘when’ and ‘how soon can we get it done?’.
That is the score for the NSW Labor Party as it stands. Iemma is under pressure to walk. Della Bosca is suspended from duty and has had his immediate chances at leadership dashed. Reba Meagher can’t seem to get a hold on Royal North Shore Hospital, let alone a flagging health system for the most populous state in the country. Joe Tripodi was under fire for the Wollongong City Council development scandal, while Phil Koperberg stepped back from the Ministry because his own colleagues couldn’t stop the attacks on his character. And the less said about Milton Orkopoulos, the better.
The last thing they need is the bad PR of stranding 125000 international pilgrims at Randwick.
So, the NSW State Government must be thanking their lucky stars that Work Choices has not been rolled back yet, and that they can ask the Industrial Relations Commission to stop the strike that could ruin the government’s credibility.
I bet neither side of politics thought the saviour of the NSW State Government would be one John Winston Howard, reaching from beyond the political grave to unwittingly give the Iemma Government a temporary stay of execution.
Truly, it is difficult for me, at times, to avoid a bad pun. But here it goes: the New South Wales state government must be thanking God for Work Choices in the run-up to World Youth Day.
Terrible pun, I know. But the point stands, with NSW Transport Minister John Watkins saying that he is prepared to invoke the much-reviled Howard Government legislation in order to stop a 24-hour rail strike inconveniently timed to wreak most havoc smack bang in the middle of the Catholic festival. The six-day long event has been carefully orchestrated in conjunction with the State Government to ensure that the approximated 125000 international pilgrims can move around Sydney as smoothly as possible. Considering that the number exceeds that which visited during the 2000 Olympics, it is without doubt a big job. Not to mention World Youth Day also heralds the first time Pope Benedict XVI will make the voyage Down Under.
All that considered, you can see why the already damaged Iemma Government would want to avoid a collapse in the rail network. I mean, it functions badly enough on a good day. For a State Government that is already the subject of whispers as to who will replace the Premier... And it’s not a question of ‘if’, it is a question of ‘when’ and ‘how soon can we get it done?’.
That is the score for the NSW Labor Party as it stands. Iemma is under pressure to walk. Della Bosca is suspended from duty and has had his immediate chances at leadership dashed. Reba Meagher can’t seem to get a hold on Royal North Shore Hospital, let alone a flagging health system for the most populous state in the country. Joe Tripodi was under fire for the Wollongong City Council development scandal, while Phil Koperberg stepped back from the Ministry because his own colleagues couldn’t stop the attacks on his character. And the less said about Milton Orkopoulos, the better.
The last thing they need is the bad PR of stranding 125000 international pilgrims at Randwick.
So, the NSW State Government must be thanking their lucky stars that Work Choices has not been rolled back yet, and that they can ask the Industrial Relations Commission to stop the strike that could ruin the government’s credibility.
I bet neither side of politics thought the saviour of the NSW State Government would be one John Winston Howard, reaching from beyond the political grave to unwittingly give the Iemma Government a temporary stay of execution.
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