Coulton’s Catch-up 19/2/10
22-February-2010
One of the most popular and worthwhile movements of the past few years has been the Men’s Sheds phenomenon, which continues to grow rapidly throughout Australia. From humble beginnings over a decade ago, the Men’s Shed movement continues to go from strength to strength. A growing number of towns throughout the Parkes electorate have embraced the concept and are making a real difference in their local communities.
This week I was delighted to chair the 2010 Men’s Shed Expo in Wellington, which saw more than 250 people from 30 sheds across NSW come together to discuss issues relating to the sheds and to meet and learn from each other.
Men’s Sheds play a vital role in connecting men with their communities. They deal proactively with men’s health issues, give men a sense of ownership of a very worthwhile project and provide a space for men to use their practical knowledge and skills to make and fix things.
I have had the pleasure of visiting many Men’s Sheds throughout the electorate and I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity and dedication of their members.
There are problems that are facing many sheds, however, particularly in relation to funding. One suggestion I have put to the Prime Minister is to create a ministerial portfolio for Men’s Sheds in order to unify the funding process that currently sees funding delivered from a number of different governmental departments. Because of their diversity, Men’s Sheds often don’t fit the criteria for specific funding programmes and I believe that an exclusive funding program specifically for these projects will help increase the already incredible growth of the movement.
I congratulate everybody who has worked tirelessly to make the Men’s Shed movement the success it is. The work you are doing is making a huge difference to the lives of many men, and women, in the Parkes electorate.
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With talk of a looming federal election growing by the day, Labor and the unions have announced their intention to run a scare campaign on industrial relations as a central component of the Rudd Government’s re-election strategy.
For the record, here are a few facts about the Coalition’s workplace relations policy that you won’t be hearing from the Rudd Government or the unions: Work Choices is dead; The Coalition will not legislate to remove penalty rates; The Coalition will not re-introduce AWAs or individual contracts.
What the Coalition will do is, in short, support the workers who under Labor’s IR agenda have been sold out to appease union bosses. The Coalition will restore the balance and give workers the fair go they deserve. The Coalition will also increase workplace flexibility and allow workers and their employers to have the ability to genuinely agree on terms and conditions that suit their needs.
There is a real need to make the workplace more flexible and free for employees and employers.
The Rudd Government’s IR changes are already having a negative effect on small business throughout the Parkes electorate, a number of which have told me that new conditions about minimum hours worked are forcing school students out of jobs simply because the flexible arrangements under which they were employed no longer exist.