PROMISES, PROMISES…

Bob Baldwin, Member for Paterson said the Australian Workers’ Union continued to make promises but failed to deliver, after today’s planned steelworkers protest.

“The Australian Workers’ Union website says that members picketed outside my electorate office today, but once again it’s been all promise and no delivery from the AWU,” said Mr Baldwin.

“My office and I waited all day, however no one came. Not National Secretary Paul Howes, not his colleagues, not one person.

“Paul Howes was one of the faceless men who installed Julia Gillard. Today, he was so faceless, he didn’t even show up.

“I’m extremely disappointed. I was looking forward to getting some answers from Paul Howes on his failure to support steel workers, manufacturing workers, mining workers and aluminium workers.

“Today he stood by and did nothing as the Labor Greens Government voted in the tax that will cost the jobs of thousands of those people Mr Howes supposedly represents,” said Mr Baldwin.

Mr Baldwin said Labor MPs Sharon Grierson, Jill Hall, Joel Fitzgibbon and Greg Combet, together with Independent MP Rob Oakeshott, had also betrayed the people of the Hunter region.

“The Hunter’s Labor MPs had the opportunity today to stand up for the people of Hunter, Shortland, Newcastle and Charlton, to honour their word and stop the carbon tax that the Prime Minister promised we wouldn’t have,” said Mr Baldwin.

“Instead they chose to betray the people of the Hunter by voting for the carbon tax.

“On the Government's own figures, 3 million Australian households will be worse off under the carbon tax. On the Government's own figures, dual income families will be worse off once they have the income of a school teacher and a shop assistant; or that of a policeman and a part-time nurse. Where are these families expected to find the money to pay for Julia Gillard’s carbon tax?”