News Archive

28 August 2007: Forward With Fairness Implementation Plan

A Rudd Labor Government will replace Mr Howard’s extreme Work Choices laws, and his unfair individual contracts (AWAs), with a system that gets the balance right between fairness and flexibility.

Federal Labor Candidate for Fadden, Rana Watson today welcomed the release of the Forward With Fairness Implementation Plan which is based on:

Fairness in the workplace to protect Australian working families;

Heightened flexibility for employees and employers;

Sensible transition arrangements to the new workplace relations system that provide certainty and stability for employers and employees; and

Protection for businesses from unlawful industrial action.

“Our economy needs a flexible workplace relations system that boosts productivity and drives economic growth,” Mr Watson said.

“But Mr Howard’s extreme Work Choices laws have gone too far. They have cut basic rights like overtime, penalty rates, and leave loadings - not to mention job security.

“Federal Labor will replace Mr Howard’s Work Choices laws and his unfair AWAs.

“In doing so we will get the balance right - providing flexibility for business while ensuring working men and women in Ormeau, Pacific Pines, Nerang are treated fairly,” Mr Watson said.

Federal Labor’s Forward With Fairness Implementation Plan takes a common sense approach, enabling employees earning $100,000 or more per year to have the flexibility to negotiate their own employment arrangements without reference to the award system.

“At the same time we will introduce a genuine safety net that makes sure employees are fairly rewarded for hard work,” Mr Watson said.

“Our new and improved safety net will contain ten National Employment Standards - a set of legislated minimum conditions which guarantee the basics such as annual leave, parental leave and redundancy for every Australian worker,” Mr Watson said.

Labor’s modern, simplified award system will also protect important entitlements like penalty rates and overtime.

Federal Labor's system guarantees parents the right to separate periods of up to 12 months of unpaid leave associated with the birth of a baby. Alternatively, one parent can request up to an additional 12 months of unpaid parental leave from their employer. A Rudd Labor Government will also guarantee a right for parents to request flexible work arrangements until their child reaches school age.

Employers will only be able to refuse these requests on reasonable business grounds.

A Rudd Labor Government will guarantee the right of Australian employees to be protected from unfair dismissal. Federal Labor’s system is based on a fair go all round for employees and employers and will deliver a simpler, faster and less costly unfair dismissal process.

Federal Labor’s new system will ensure that businesses are protected from unlawful industrial action by introducing a clear set of tough new rules for when industrial action is allowed.

Mr Watson said Federal Labor’s Forward with Fairness Implementation Plan will help deliver certainty and stability for businesses and employees in the transition from Mr Howard’s unfair Work Choices laws to Labor’s fair and flexible workplace relations system.

23 August 2007: Labor Taking Responsibility For Health

Federal Labor’s $2 Billion National Health and Hospitals Reform Plan

Rana Watson, Labor’s candidate for Fadden, today welcomed Labor’s $2 billion National Health and Hospitals Reform Plan.

“This landmark announcement will guarantee the long-term future of health care in our local community - and in thousands of other communities around the country,” Mr Watson said.

“As we all know, the Gold Coast Hospital sometimes struggles to meet demand, with local health workers overworked and under stress. Often people in the Gold Coast can't get the health care they need when they need it.”

“Federal Labor believes we deserve more - that's why Kevin Rudd has announced that a Rudd Labor Government will invest $2 billion in a National Health and Hospitals Reform Plan.

“Those funds will be available for all our public hospitals and for improving our health system. That will help the people of the Gold Coast get the health care they need and deserve.”

Because Labor also believes in the importance of preventative health care, a Rudd Labor Government will make available dedicated funds for investing in community-level non-hospital health services.

Labor is investing in lasting improvements to re-equip our health system for the twenty-first century.

Federal Labor’s National Health Reform Plan will have two central elements:

$2 billion in investments to deliver improved health outcomes for patients in Australia’s health care and hospital system. The $2 billion will be invested in projects like:

upgrades to elective surgery facilities to make sure more patients are seen

providing medical care in the community, like outreach renal dialysis and chemotherapy services

establishing general practice clinics which focus on improving chronic disease prevention

If State and Territory Governments have not begun implementing an agreed National Health Reform Plan by mid-2009, then a Rudd Labor Government will seek to take financial control of Australia’s 750 public hospitals

“I know that the people of Fadden are sick and tired of politicians passing the buck when it comes to health care and hospitals,” said Mr Watson.

“This announcement demonstrates that Federal Labor is serious about taking responsibility for improving Australia’s health and hospital system.”

16 August 2007: Enrol to Vote

Thousands of people on the Gold Coast may not get a chance to vote this year.

Federal Labor Candidate for Fadden, Rana Watson, said more than 400,000 voters could be left without a voice on Election Day, because of extreme electoral laws passed by the Howard Government.

Earlier this year (20 June) the Howard Government passed legislation that will mean:

The electoral roll will close on the day the writs are issued - which is almost always on the day the election is called; and

Those already on the roll will now get only three days to update their details.

Previously first time voters had 7 days to enrol, and those on the roll had 7 to update their details after the writs were issued.

Mr Watson said last week the Howard Government admitted more than 410,000 of 18 to 25 year-old Australians were missing from the electoral roll.

After the writs were issued for the 2004 election, 408 770 voters across Australia enrolled for the first time, re-enrolled or changed their details.

“These so-called reforms are outrageous,” Mr Watson said.

“They have one aim and one aim only - to keep as many people off the electoral roll as possible.

“Under these new laws, by the time a young person gets home from study or work and finds out an election has been called - the electoral roll will be closed, Mr Watson said.

Mr Watson said a Rudd Labor Government is committed to repealing these Howard electoral laws.

“We want to ensure as many young people from the Gold Coast as possible who are eligible to vote get a chance to have their say on polling day,” Mr Watson said.

“Whether you support the Labor Party, or any other political party, the most important thing is that your voice is heard on election day”.

CHECK YOUR ENROLMENT
You can check your enrolment details by clicking on this link: http://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/index.htm

FIRST TIME VOTERS
For all young people aged 17 or 18 years, this is the link for you: www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/How_To_Enrol.

OVERSEAS?
If you know Australians living outside Australia, they could lose their right to vote unless they enrol as an "overseas voter". For more information, and the right forms to complete, visit ALP Abroad: www.alpabroad.org or go directly to the AEC website for more information www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/Going_overseas.

14 August 2007: Federal Labor Helping Families Beat the Rent Trap

Federal Labor Candidate for Fadden, Rana Watson welcomed Kevin Rudd’s plans for a National Rental Affordability Scheme that will reduce the amount of rent paid by 50,000 Australian families by 20 per cent.

The new $603 million scheme will see 50,000 new affordable rental properties built across the nation within five years.

“This is another Labor initiative that is at aimed helping families beat the rental trap,” Mr Watson said.

“Many families on the Gold Coast are chasing their tail when it comes to saving for a deposit.

“Higher rents and cost of living pressures are making it even more difficult for families in the Gold Coast to put that bit extra away each week to save for a deposit,” Mr Watson said.

Under the plan, a Rental Tax Incentive will be available to institutional investors - like superannuation funds - who build new homes or units and rent them to low and middle income households at 20 per cent below the market rate of equivalent properties in the area.

Federal Labor’s Rental Affordability Scheme will ease the rental stress for Fadden, by delivering savings of up to:

$50 per week for a tenant paying market rent of $250 per week;

$70 per week for a tenant paying market rent of $350 per week; and

$90 per week for a tenant paying market rent of $450 per week.

Mr Watson said importantly those benefiting from this new scheme will still receive Commonwealth Rental Assistance.

“Saving for a deposit was once the number one priority for many working families - but with increases to the costs of groceries and petrol prices and rent, this is no longer a reality,” Mr Watson said.

To be eligible for a property delivered under Federal Labor’s National Rental Affordability Scheme families must be receiving at least the base rate of Family Tax Benefit A and the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

Aged pensioners and other income support recipients receiving the maximum amount of Commonwealth Rent Assistance will also be eligible for rental housing under this Scheme.

To qualify, all tenants must also have been paying at least 30 per cent of gross household income on rent for at least one year.

31 July 2007: Housing Affordability Fund

Federal Labor's $500 million housing plan - saving homebuyers up to $20,000 on new homes.

A Rudd Labor Government will set up a new Housing Affordability Fund to invest up to $500 million to save new homebuyers up to $20,000 on a home purchase.

Federal Labor Candidate for Fadden, Rana Watson, welcomed the initiative that will assist up to 50,000 new home buyers over five years.

“We are seeing a worrying increase in families struggling to make ends meet and a decline in the proportion of young Australians buying a home,” Mr Watson said.

“The simple fact is the great Australian dream is now an unreachable one for many young families on the Gold Coast.”

In partnership with Local Government, Federal Labor’s Housing Affordability Fund will address the two most significant ‘supply-side’ barriers to the development of new housing:

The cost of developing new infrastructure such as water, transport, and parklands, with local government infrastructure charges ultimately paid by the new home buyer; and

The ‘holding costs’ associated with planning and approval delays such as interest, land taxes, council rates and staff costs, which are ultimately paid by the new home buyer.

The Property Council of Australia estimates that housing linked infrastructure charges can add up to $68,000 on a new home in some parts of suburban Australia.

"Infrastructure costs and planning delays are two key factors restricting the supply of housing in Australia - and Kevin Rudd’s plan addresses both,” Mr Watson said.

Under Federal Labor’s plan, local governments will apply through a competitive process to receive grants to cover some of the cost of new housing infrastructure.

In their proposals, local governments, in conjunction with private sector, will have to outline how their proposals will cut red tape and reform the planning processes.

“If you lower infrastructure charges and holding costs, you will reduce new housing costs and increase supply – it’s that simple,” Mr Watson said.

The Housing Affordability Fund plan will be available to new dwellings in both new land release and infill developments. It will target areas where:

The lack of infrastructure acts as a barrier to the release or development of land;

Infrastructure is needed to enable homes to be better linked to where people work and use services like shops, transport and community facilities;

High dwelling growth is forecast in Greenfield or infill areas; and

There is already a demonstrated lack of infrastructure.

3 June 2007: Fadden Wine Fundraiser

Help out Rana with the Fadden Wine Fundraiser! Click here to download the order form :)

6 December 2006: A Night at the Drive-In

Join us at the Yatala Twin Drive-in Theatre for a drive in movie night as a fundraiser for Rana Watson, the Federal Labor Candidate for Fadden.

The date is Wednesday the 20th of December 2006, and the movies are "Casino Royale" and "The Guardian". Gates open at 6:15pm. Tickets cost $13 for an adult and $7 for a child.

The Yatala Twin Drive-in Theatre is located at 100 Jacobs Well Road, Stapylton.

Call 0424 099 278 or e-mail rana@ranawatson.com to book your tickets today.

4 December 2006: Federal Labor Leadership Message

Just before 10:00am today (Queensland time), the Federal Labor Caucus decisively elected Kevin Rudd into the leadership role of the Australian Labor Party. Julia Gillard was elected uncontested into the position of deputy leader.

I am honoured to be a part of the Labor Team contesting the upcoming election and am pleased with the outcome of this ballot. This process is a clear example of the Australian democratic system in action and the professional manner in which the Australian Labor Party conducts itself both internally and externally.

Working Australians can rest assured that their Party, the Australian Labor Party, has the answers to their needs and will be working hard for all Australians in the lead up to the next election and beyond.

Major issues include industrial relations, the environment, infrastructure, interest rates and the broader economy. Click on the feedback form to have your say to me on these and other issues.

2007 is a great opportunity for the Australian Labor Party to win Government. I call on all Labor Party members and supporters to get behind the new leadership team and to work closely with them and their local candidates to make the approaching campaign a success.

Your involvement and assistance is paramount to Labor having a decisive win and I encourage you to volunteer to help your local Labor candidates get across the line. Please click on the feedback form to volunteer, including your address and contact details so that we may forward them to the appropriate campaign team.

I would like to offer my condolences to Kim Beazley and to thank him for his strong leadership and dedication to the role of leader. The Australian Labor Party owes a great deal to Kim and I wish him the very best in the future.

Rana Watson
ALP Candidate
Fadden

PS. Keep an eye out for myself and Sam Miszkowski (Labor Federal Candidate for Moncrieff) over the next few months in the Southport/Labrador area. Look for the banners.

30 November 2006: Rana Watson Your Rights At Work Speech

Below is the speech that Rana Watson performed today at the Gold Coast rally against the Howard Government's WorkChoices legislation.

Your Rights at Work – Worth Fighting For

OK - so you all know why you are here today.

My name is Rana Watson and I am a paid official of the LHMU and I am also the Federal Labor Candidate for the seat of Fadden. I want to speak to you today about the Howard Government’s unfair workplace laws and their impact not only on our lives but also on the working lives of our children and families. I also want to speak to you about two other pieces of legislation that the Howard Government has put in place. The 457 visa and the changes to the Social Security Act. Both of which are specifically designed to drive the down wages and conditions of ordinary every day working Australians like you and I.

On the 27th of March 2006 the Howard Government’s Industrial Relations Legislation came into effect. On the 27th of March 2006 the Howard Government achieved it’s long term goal of undermining working peoples wages and conditions. This legislation made it illegal for workers and their unions to negotiate on a fair and level playing field. On the 27th March 2006 the Howard Government took away the only leverage that workers had when negotiating with their employer, the ability to withhold their labour. The Howard Government has sold Australian workers down the creek to big business. Big business now has a free hand to improve it’s profits at the expense of Australian working families.

We have all heard the horror stories that have been reported in the media since 27th March this year. Time and time again we have heard of employees from different parts of the country, working in a variety of industries who have been unfairly treated under the Howard Legislation and who have had no recourse.

This legislation should never have been drafted and should never have been enacted.

Who here has heard of the 457 visa? The 457 visa is a system where by an employer can import labor from overseas and pay them at inferior rates and on below standard conditions. The employer does not even have to prove that there is no Australian willing to take the jobs or that he is paying the going rate. These employees are often kept in the dark about what their rights are in this country and hence they do not try to enforce them.

The third piece of legislation that will see our wages and conditions eroded away is the Social Security changes which require that an unemployed person seeking work must accept any job offered regardless of the level of pay, the conditions or the safety of the workplace. If a job is refused then the unemployed person can have their benefit stopped for up to 2 months.

The impact on Australian working families is that the value of the work that they perform is diminished, safety is compromised and people will be hurt or even killed.

As you know the Constitutional High court challenge failed. Legally the Howard government can and has invoked these laws. That does not make it right!

During the last election more than 57% of working people voted for the Howard Government. Before the coming federal election we need to educate all working people about these laws and the urgent need to change Government. Australian working families have the power to make things right for themselves and for future generations of working Australians.

I call on all Australian workers to join your unions, recruit your fellow workers into your unions and to work towards a change in Government. Labor has said that we will rip up this legislation and that we will establish an Industrial Relations system based on fair workplaces and good old Australian Values help us to achieve this goal.

The next step is to ensure that all sympathetic workers are correctly enrolled and that their vote counts when it is most needed. I ask you all to consider not only making your vote count on the day but to volunteer to help out throughout this campaign to ensure that we get the government that we need. Talk to your community groups, sports clubs and associations. Donate four hours per week to your local enrolment campaign to ensure that all like minded people are on the roll. Donate four hours per week to your local Labor candidate to help them get their message out into the community.

Volunteer forms are available from please fill them out and get involved.

Thank you all.

23 November 2006: Your Rights At Work

Rana will be appearing and speaking at the Gold Coast gathering for the Your Rights At Work National Day of Action on the 30th of November. Taking place at the Gold Coast Showgrounds at Parklands Drive, Southport, the gathering on Thursday aims to maintain the pressure on the Howard Government over their radical WorkChoices legislation. This is a great opportunity to join in a good cause and meet your Federal Labor candidate for the next election, due in the latter half of 2007.

7 August 2006: Rana Watson Announced as Candidate

Today, Rana Watson was announced as the Federal Labor candidate for Fadden. Rana looks forward to providing you with a good choice at the next federal election, likely to be called between July and December in 2007.

Please Note – Listing of any group here indicates Rana Watson’s current/former association with that body – in either a volunteer or professional capacity. It should not be construed in any way as forming an endorsement by that group of Rana Watson, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) or of any other candidate, party leader or political party.