McLeod's Work Choices : Melbourne Indymedia

As if the Government/taxpayer funded ABC's Bastard Boys (MUA lockout of 1998) drama was not out of control unions...
Strewth what is going on at Corporate TV Channel 9 are they being subverted by the 'enemy within' who resist the Howard Government's Workplace Relation (formerly known as 'work choices' ) ?
answers on a postcard to Joe 'Liberal bully' Hockey the Workplace Relations Minister...

:-)

Popular TV soapie takes a swipe at Howard laws
18 May 2007

John Howard's harsh WorkChoices laws took another battering this week - not from the Kevin Rudd or the union movement - but from popular Channel 9 drama series McLeod's Daughters.

Howard Government MPs will know the community is very angry about their work laws when a commercial TV station's popular drama series takes a pot shot at their laws.

See the episode from McLeod's Daughters
You can see the part in McLeod's Daughters that everyone's talking about. You Tube is already hosting the visuals from Wednesday night's program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAO2jmdj4Qk&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Flhmu%2Eorg%2Eau%2Flhmu%2Fnews%2F2007%2F1179437937%5F2288%2Ehtml

Source:
http://lhmu.org.au/lhmu/news/2007/1179437937_2288.html

Sacked but offered job back on lower pay AWA
One of the characters, Phil, the local mayor and business owner, fires young Patrick so he can immediately rehire him on an Australian Workplace Agreement.

"Patrick, great, I've been meaning to talk to you. I'm restructuring the business - you're fired," he tells Patrick.

He then offers the employee an AWA that has lower wages.

Phil says it involves a new title of assistant manager, more flexibility, more responsibility.

"Less money," snaps Patrick in the episode shown Wednesday night. "Much less money."

Patrick is not impressed by the promise of more pay through bonuses for hard work and rejects the workplace agreement.

"Well it's not actually your choice," says Phil. "It's either my way . . ."

"I'll take the highway," says Patrick. "I quit."

Episode based on reality
The show's creator and the executive producer of Millennium Pictures, Posie Graeme-Evans, has told the media that the episode was written nine months ago and shot six months ago.

The idea came from the case in August last year after an Adelaide service station attendant who was sacked and then offered an AWA with less pay.

"Drama takes its stories from everywhere. We absolutely cannibalise, we process the world," Posie Graeme-Evans told newspapers.

"I think it's hilarious that something we thought about nine months ago ... has screened at a time when it's so sensitive. This happens in drama series."

Casting a McLeod over work laws

Phillip Coorey Chief Political Correspondent
May 18, 2007
* Work laws are not a political toy: Labor
* Qantas joins war on Labor over AWAs

AS if the Workplace Relations Minister, Joe Hockey, didn't have enough on his plate with real-life Work Choices, yesterday he found himself dealing with rogue characters in Channel Nine's McLeod's Daughters.

In Wednesday's episode, the local garage manager, Phil, sacks his mechanic, Patrick, and then offers to rehire him on an Australian workplace agreement - offering less money but with "a new title, more flexibility and more responsibility".

Patrick refuses the offer but Phil is adamant. "It's not actually your choice. You either sign this contract or I have to employ someone else." Patrick quits.

In real life, such conduct is illegal. "Clearly, the behaviour depicted is unlawful and if it wasn't fiction, we'd be investigating," Mr Hockey said.

Labor's industrial relations spokeswoman, Julia Gillard, said the scene "depicts the reality for many working Australians under John Howard's unfair Work Choices laws … the reality is Australians are offered AWAs that cut wages and conditions every single day".

The show's creator and the executive producer of Millennium Pictures, Posie Graeme-Evans, said the episode was written nine months ago and shot six months ago.

The idea came from the case in August last year of an Adelaide service station attendant who was sacked and then offered an AWA with less pay.

"Drama takes its stories from everywhere. We absolutely cannibalise, we process the world," she said. "I think it's hilarious that something we thought about nine months ago … has screened at a time when it's so sensitive. This happens in drama series."

Not so happy yesterday was the Prime Minister, who joined the growing list of critics of the ABC's two-part drama Bastard Boys, shown this week.

"One of the most lopsided pieces of political propaganda I've seen on the national broadcaster in years," John Howard said of the account of the 1998 campaign to smash the Maritime Union and improve efficiency on the docks.

BONEYARD BLUES?
'I wasn't given the flick'

Eddie McGuire has quit as CEO of Channel Nine
May 18, 2007 - 11:29AM

Eddie McGuire denies he was 'boned' by the Nine Network, saying he was not "given the flick" as the network's chief executive.

"Quite the opposite," McGuire told reporters at a press conference in Melbourne this morning.

"I had the opportunity to stay as CEO but chose to go down a different path.

"I wasn't given the flick, if that's what you're asking."

When asked if he would return to Melbourne permanently, he replied: "I'll be in Sydney for a while."

A relaxed McGuire, who shared banter with reporters before a press conference today, said: "It's been an interesting ride. There's been some tough moments, some unfortunate moments ... but all in all it's been a wonderful experience.

"It's been the best finishing school you could possibly have."

McGuire stepped down from the top job this morning, ending months of speculation.

The announcement, posted on the ninemsn website, came shortly before 9am - when staff were also notified of the decision.

Nine said McGuire will move to an increased presence on air and the provision of creative and programming services, with the change taking effect from June 30.

McGuire was controversially appointed to the high-profile role in February last year, just weeks after the death of the station's owner, Kerry Packer.

The decision to appoint McGuire, a one-time sports commentator, and host of the game show, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, was immediately criticised - with industry observors saying he lacked the management savvy to run a complex business operation.

In a media release issued this morning, McGuire said he had greatly enjoyed his time as Nine's chief executive, but he was better suited to the "creative" side of the business.

"I am of the view that my best contribution to Nine is in the creative elements of the business and that has prompted this change." he said.

"I am looking forward to the change in role and to continue working with the executive team at Nine."

He told Macquarie Radio he was proud of the financial position the network is in.

"I was very strong in maintaining this position until now because we have put the financial runs on the board, we have been able to get the business into shape,'' Mr McGuire said.

"Let's not forget it was sold for $4.5 billion for 50 per cent of it.

"We are achieving all the financial benchmarks we were said to do for the financial year so I'm very proud we've been able to do that.''

He said he was happy to leave the executive decisions to Mr Law and Mr Browne.

"Ian Law, Jeff Browne are in the chair to do those sort of areas and I can get back and do some television and as I said I've got some other endeavours outside of television,'' he said.

He said he hoped he would leave a legacy with new programs to be shown on Channel Nine in the next 12 months.

"I'm looking forward to getting back into production, working closely with my colleagues at Channel Nine.''

He said PBL boss James Packer remained a mate and they would continue to do business together.

The chief executive of Nine's parent company, PBL Media, Ian Law, said McGuire's absence as a "key host" had hurt the networks' ratings.

"It has become clear over the past 12 months that Mr McGuire's absence from on air as a key host has impacted on the ratings of the Network.

"The performance of 1 v 100 in addition to his executive duties shows how significant Eddie's contribution can be to our on air line up."

Mr Law said a management restructure at Nine meant McGuire would not be directly replaced as chief executive.

"The existing Nine Network management team headed up by [executive Director] Jeffrey Browne will take the network forward," he said.

Nine confirmed McGuire would not be replaced as CEO.

Mr Law flagged "some changes to the management structure at Nine".

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