Australia’s biggest union has broken ranks with the Labor Party and sided with the Morrison government over China. The Australian Worker’s Union has thrown its support behind Morrison’s push for an international investigation into the origins of the Xi Plague.
Countering criticism of the government from Anthony Albanese and state Labor governments, the Australian Workers Union has told Scott Morrison not to “capitulate” to the communist state’s gaming of international trade rules.
In a letter sent to the Prime Minister on Wednesday afternoon following China’s suspension of meat exporters and threats to slap tariffs on barley producers, AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said: “Australia should resist any attempts to be bullied.”
The union movement and the Labor Party are deeply intertwined – so deeply that, until recently, the “60-40” rule gave union delegates the controlling vote in ALP policies and preselections. When big unions break with Labor, it’s consequential. When the CFMEU endorsed John Howard’s forestry policy – and called the Labor leader a “liar” – in 2004, it was a critical moment in delivering the Howard government’s fourth term.
The 2004 split was, at heart, a union trying to do what it should: putting its members’ interests ahead of staying rusted-on to a political ‘side’. In 2020, the AWU is also remembering what unions are supposed to be for.
He said Australia should join international partners to form a “trade NATO” as part of a multilateral effort to resist “China’s preferred approach of bilateral bullying”.
The AWU boss said China’s threats were likely in response to domestic and foreign policy decisions made by the federal government and the dumping duties imposed on Chinese steel producers selling into Australia. “The integrity of Australia’s trading regime is paramount to sovereignty,” he wrote. “We note with concern the pressure being placed upon the Australian government with respect to the integrity of its trade regime[…]
“It is critical the Australian government holds its nerve against such pressure and enforces its international and domestic rights[…]It might suit billionaires who have cosy relationships with the CCP for our government to roll over, but AWU members expect their government to stand for them and defend the national interest.”
Consider those as shots fired, Twiggy Forrest.
But it’s not just billionaires who are trying to hold onto their cosy relationships with the CCP. Labor leaders across the country are dropping the ball and putting the Yuan ahead of Australian workers.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said he had contacted Mr Morrison to offer his help in easing tensions with China, adding it was critical not to “jeopardise” relations with key trading partners. Mr Albanese and senior opposition MPs joined the Labor states in pressing the government over tensions with China[…]Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, whose state is home to three of the abattoirs suspended by Beijing, said China was “an incredibly important trading partner”.
Suddenly, it’s the wicked Libs who are the worker’s friends.
West Australian Liberal MP Andrew Hastie — a critic of China banned from entering that country last year — said Australians must pull together. “I’ve got many AWU alumina and heavy industry members in my electorate,” said Mr Hastie, chair of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security. “They’re passionate about our country and we stay in touch regularly. This is a ‘team Australia’ moment and I’m proud to see all of us pulling in the same direction for Australian sovereignty, jobs and industry.”
Labor ignores these developments at its peril. Deserting resources-industry workers and trying to curry favour with inner-city greens saw Labor’s vote almost wiped out in Queensland last year. Trying to curry favour with Beijing after COVID-19 isn’t going to make workers any more likely to come back to the Labor fold.
More importantly: it’s a matter of principle. Do Labor really want to be seen to still be dancing to the tune of a brutal dictatorship?
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