Topics: Thuggish union behaviour, Right to disconnect, Amazing female athletes 

 

E&OE   

 

SARAH ABO: 

Well the Transport Workers Union is this morning pushing to block the appointment of Paul Jones as Virgin Australia's new CEO. The move comes just a day after CFMEU Victorian leader John Setka demanded the sacking of the AFL's head of umpiring Stephen McBurney. Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor and editor in chief of Stellar magazine Sarrah Le Marquand. Good to see you both. Thanks for coming to the studio. Angus, I want to start with you. So business groups are calling this union thuggery. It does sound like really bullying and intimidatory behaviour.  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Yeah absolutely, these are bully boy tactics. I mean, these are union officials who want to control every aspect of our workplace and every workplace, including deciding who the boss is going to be, deciding when you need to engage with your boss and when you can't. I mean, this is, it's totally out of control. And the real point here is that the Prime Minister has refused to call it out and he should. It's completely unacceptable. Getting involved with umpiring in the AFL? I mean, seriously, is this where we're at?  

 

SARAH ABO: 

And that's a concern, isn't it. You're holding an empire like the AFL to ransom here over a person they just dislike? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Exactly right. I mean, I think it's completely unacceptable. And I think the Prime Minister should call it out. 

 

SARAH ABO: 

Sez, what do you reckon. The AFL is backing McBurney saying that they're not going to be intimidated here. But the fact that they feel comfortable doing this is a bit of alarm, alarming, isn't it?  

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

I think it is. I mean, I don't know if I would go so far as to call it bullying behaviour. But I think everyone has the right to express an opinion. I mean, we have the right to express an opinion. I could say, I don't agree with this appointment or... 

 

SARAH ABO: 

But they're essentially holding projects to ransom. 

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

That's correct. And I think intimidation certainly, and I think we've really got to be careful not to overstep. And I also think from the position of the union, it's just not the right way to play it. In the case of airlines, consumers actually do have some concerns about outsourcing, because then there's issues of maintenance and safety. If you would just speak to the issue in a more moderate, measured way, I actually think that you would get much more of the public on side. 

 

SARAH ABO: 

You're making a lot of sense now.  

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

Well there you go. Maybe I should be taking over the unions! 

 

SARAH ABO: 

Yeah I think common sense is needed, isn't it. Moving on, and from August 26, the employees of large corporations will have the right to refuse contact from their boss outside of work hours. But industry groups are worried they are not going to be ready in time. Angus, they say it'll only create conflict in the workplace. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

I would love to have had the right to disconnect this morning, I have to say but no such luck! I mean, look this is, it's common sense actually, you've got to work it out in the workplace, you've got to work it out in a sensible way between employer and employee and you can do that, as long as there's goodwill. Trying to codify it in legislation, I just don't know how it's going to work. No one knows how this is going to work. And the Labor Party hasn't been able to explain it and hasn't given guidelines either.  

 

SARAH ABO: 

It doesn't have the Coalition’s support does it. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

No, it's just not workable. What's workable is workers and employers sitting down and working out what's good for both. People want more flexibility in the workplace, there's no question about that. And that's crucial. And we should be allowing for that, but that means working things out as it works for the employer and employee. 

 

SARAH ABO: 

I guess the government feels as though that's not working, Sarrah, that's why they're introducing this. But the issue, I guess, might come up, you know in some schools for example, some private schools are concerned about school camps and things like that, where teachers kind of need to be on the whole time and when you're talking about student welfare.  

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

I know. I think any time that you impose some sort of binary law, you're going to come up against situations where people will go, oh well, that's clearly unworkable and things could go really wrong. I do think it is common sense. Again, this conversation hopefully brought to you by common sense. I also do understand the wider issue because we do know that people all around living rooms and workplaces in Australia, we're all grappling with this, aren't we, in the 24/7 era and we know that COVID exacerbated the lines between you know down time and work time has never become more blurred. So I can understand why there would be conversations around intervention but I would agree with Angus. I think the moment that you don't allow for flexibility and common sense we're actually all going to find it's unworkable.  

 

SARAH ABO: 

Yeah that's right, we're going to have to find a way through that as well. All right, finally we witnessed some pure magic in the pool last night. Ariarne Titmus smashing the world record for the 200 metre freestyle at the Olympic trials up in Brissy. Angus, she's not called Australia's golden girl for nothing, hey? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Unbelievable. But both of them, I mean... 

 

SARAH ABO: 

Yeah, Molly as well.  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

To see both of them in front of that world record line in that in that final lap. I mean, just unbelievable. Just extraordinary. 

 

SARAH ABO: 

It's incredible watching too, isn't it? I mean, it sadly didn't go Karl's way in the celebrity race unfortunately Sarrah, he came last. But you know, he put in a good effort. 

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

Karl was only what, a couple of seconds or I mean about 30 minutes off Ariarne's time there, you know, give or take a couple of hours. 

 

SARAH ABO: 

Quickly Sez, you've got a nice cover this weekend celebrating Australian athletes, women athletes.  

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

We do! Because we knew that the swimming was on this week and I mean, our female swimmers, did you know they took home 47% of the gold medal tally in Tokyo? But this is Torrie Lewis who's officially become the fastest woman in Australia. She's on the cover of our women in sport issue. That's your very first glimpse at it.  

 

SARAH ABO: 

Yes, nice exclusive.  

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

I do think Australian women are having such a moment on the global stage in sport... 

 

SARAH ABO: 

She's only 19 as well.  

 

SARRAH LE MARQUAND: 

I know, it makes you feel a little inadequate, doesn't it? Karl's not alone in being outdone by our top performers. 

 

SARAH ABO: 

They're very good, we should be very proud. Thank you both so much for coming in. 

 

ENDS.