• Private certifier gets nailed – depaNews November 2010
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  • Debate on IR policy – depaNews August 2007
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LGS launches special holiday arrangements for members

Details
Published: Wednesday, 26 October 2016 09:29

LGS Board members Bruce Miller and Martin O’Connell (pictured above) today announced that Local Government Super will now provide “sustainable” and low emission holidays and travel plans for members of the fund. Bruce Miller was Chair of the Board and Martin O’Connell Deputy Chair in 2014 when the board resolved to remove the ban on investment in nuclear and uranium. At the time they announced that nuclear energy was a “low emission” alternative to fossil fuels and, if you are looking at things in one dimension, as they were, then nuclear energy was an environmentally more friendly option than fossil fuels.

And consistent with their commitment to nuclear energy and uranium, LGS has now revealed a commitment to uranium and nuclear themed holidays and holiday destinations.

“There‘s lot of misinformation about nuclear energy”, a slightly glowing Mr Miller (or Mr O’Connell) claimed at the launch, “and we aim to build on our enhanced reputation embracing nuclear energy and uranium to allow members of the fund to go to places that people with a narrow focus wouldn’t ordinarily regard as a great destination for a holiday.”

The fund announced two vacation packages.

Chernobyl Chillout

“The Ukraine is a great place to visit at any time,” either Mr Miller or Mr O’Connell said, “cold one day, bloody freezing the next and a perfect place to chill. Who wouldn’t want to visit Chernobyl, the jewel in the crown of the Ukraine?  No wonder the Russians want it back. Spacious and empty hotels, broad open areas and our own masterchefs providing everything you’d like eat to make the trip a real hit - all grown locally and something that will give you a real glow when you come back to Sydney. Everyone will know you’ve been somewhere special. Forget coming home with a tan and having everyone know you’ve had a holiday at the beach, you can come home and glow in the dark.

“Sick of the crowds in Europe and Asia? Come with us on a tour to Chernobyl and enjoy the freedom to do whatever you like with no one in the way. Also a great opportunity to inspect troop movements or pick through the wreckage of Malaysian airline flights."

Fukushima Frolic

“Wow, we could have all been Fukushimaed if the reactors had all melted down but it was really just a minor incident, and wouldn’t have been a problem except for the weather. And the weather is something completely unforeseeable when you’re managing the risk of an alternative energy source” said either Bill or Martin.

“Fukushima is a great destination for all the family. Unusually for a holiday in Japan this is a location that doesn’t specialise in seafood, so it’s perfect for those who don’t like fish. Or the ocean, or anything that lives in it.

“And a great opportunity for the kids too. The 150,000 bags of radioactive waste make the Fukushima Maze, now sponsored by LGS as a private equity investment and known as the LGS FU Maze, a real treat for the whole family. The English might have old-fashioned hedge mazes, but you can’t go past the thrill of all those bags of radioactive waste, sitting there for almost eternity, and providing a perfect place for a challenge. Hedges get old and die but this maze will live forever.

“Had the fun of losing the kids at the Green Man Maze in Powys or the Peace Maze in County Down, or any of the other brilliant mazes in the UK? Nothing compares to losing them here”.

LGS FU Maze

Robbo's Pearls...

What’s happening to the senior staff changes?

On 15 October 2021 the LGNSW Board, spurred on by a second recommendation from another ICAC investigation (Operation Dasha) to get rid of the “no reason” sacking of senior staff, unanimously resolved to do precisely that. LGNSW would now support the views we and the other unions have been expressing for decades. This was a historic consensus.

The consensus was to amend section 340 of the Local Government Act 1993 to ensure that the only Senior Staff positions, on term contracts and denied access to the industrial relations commission would be the general manager. And to amend the Industrial Relations Act to lift the remuneration level for access on unfair dismissals.

All we needed was the OLG and the Government to cooperate. That was close enough to two and a half years ago. 

There was some venal opposition from the usual suspects, but the policy was overwhelmingly reaffirmed at the LGNSW Special Conference on 1 March 2022. That was close enough to two years ago.

In April 2023 a Labor Government was elected in NSW. We all had a reasonable expectation they’d be more supportive of employment changes that reduced the risk of corruption and provided fairer working conditions. They say they are.

What have you blokes been doing?

Hoenig and Minns

It’s in the Minister’s office but nothing’s happening. It has been:

since the Government and the Minister were appointed on 5 April 2023. We are still waiting for the legislative changes required.

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