It's not clear whether former Labor pollster Rod Cameron, who heads market research company ANOP, has king-hit Kevin Rudd or done him a service.
cannonball for the Federal Government, reinforcing its message that about the workplace. But he has also armed Rudd, if the Labor flexible.
Even before Cameron's intervention, Rudd and everyone else knew his IR policy was creating a serious problem. Business is on the rampage. The mining industry, appalled at the pledge to scrap AWAs, is applying as much pressure as possible on Labor for change.
Rudd's priority, after a bruising budget week, is to deal with his IR bushfire. On Friday in Melbourne he met Rio Tinto Australia MD Charlie Lenegan, and called in on BHP Billiton. Then it was off look on the ground.
Rudd is caught between two implacable forces. On the one hand the Labor platform, strongly backed by the unions, is adamant about abolishing AWAs. On the other, the mining industry says it can't live without them.
Rudd has to find a compromise. Until he does, this will remain a major irritant. The brutal economic reality is that the miners - under the threat of the disappearance of AWAs.
But the unions have Julia Gillard.
Cameron had some rather graphic advice for Rudd, telling The contracts (as distinct from common law contracts, which Labor's It's one thing defying the platform in government. It's trickier in Opposition within weeks of the conference.
Rudd flirted last week with allowing a form of statutory agreement, only to retreat a day later. Rudd yesterday was dismissive of Cameron and stuck like glue to the anti-AWA line, saying the necessary flexibility "can be But there's acceptance that the policy must be nuanced, involving short- and long-term arrangements. One option for the former is for existing AWAs to run their course, rather than workers being able to elect to go off them at once.
This would mean would stay on it for the remaining four. Presumably Labor would being treated unfairly under their AWA conditions.
For the longer term, Labor sources argue there is already provision for flexibility in Labor's announced policy.
Its section payment of penalty rates". But business wants more, and the ALP is benefits of AWAs but isn't called that. In particular, the mining door.
should go. Senior Labor sources think Cameron underestimates hostility to WorkChoices. They say John Howard's recent insertion of a fairness test for those on AWAs and earning less than $75,000 was obviously based on polling, and shows a deep community concern.
and nerve for Rudd. He has to decide where he needs to position Labor, then engage in whatever staring down that requires.
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