15th November 2007The Bligh Labor Government’s push for union infiltration of local
councils has been exposed by new figures showing union officials are
sitting on up to 10 of the transition committees set up under the forced
amalgamations process.
Shadow Local Government Minister Howard Hobbs said under Labor’s laws,
all of the transition committees guiding the establishment of the new
amalgamated councils had to have at least three union members and many
were sitting on more than one committee.
“Coalition questioning in State Parliament has revealed some of these
union chiefs are on up to 10 transition committees from the bush to the
coast,” he said.
“Queensland Council of Unions rep Michael Riek takes the prize for the
biggest chief sitting bull by taking a spot on 10 committees throughout
central and western Queensland.
“Another QCU official Jade Ingham is on eight committees from everywhere
from Roma to the Sunshine Coast, while the QCU’s Frank Young (five) and
Ed Taylor (four), and the Australian Services Union’s Peter Ryan (four),
Steve Rodgers (four), Glenn Owens (four), Danny Reeves (four) and Jan
Kelly (four) are also on multiple committees.
“Even Shane Guley, the man Labor dumped as their candidate for Maranoa
because of allegations of thuggery in the past is on one of the local
government transition committees.”
Mr Hobbs questioned why Labor was stacking the council committees with
union hacks.
“Union domination even goes to the extreme in the Torres Strait. There
is no union membership in the Torres Strait but the State Labor
Government has parachuted three union members into the Torres Strait
regional council,” he said.
“Union membership in councils range from two per cent up to 30 per cent
but it is falling fast so Labor is using these council transition
committees to gain political advantage for themselves even though the
majority of communities don’t want or support them.”
Media Contact – Howard Hobbs 0428 152 656