Bill Shorten... a litany of errors! The Labor regime to oversee $10 billion in annual retirement savings has been thrown into disarray by a shock ruling from the federal workplace umpire to sideline two key advisers over conflicts of interest. Fair Work Commission president Iain Ross has ordered the two expert panel members to step aside in a verdict described last night as a “major embarrassment” for Bill Shorten, who appointed them just before last year’s federal election. Heeding industry complaints, Justice Ross removed Vicki Allen and Stephen Gibbs from a sweeping review of superannuation funds because “there would be or could be a conflict” over their private interests. At stake is the right to manage more than $10bn in annual super contributions by winning Fair Work approval to be named as the default fund in workplace awards for millions of workers. While employees are free to choose any fund, about 80 per cent accept the default option agreed by unions and employers in awards and then mandated by the industrial commission. As employment minister, Mr Shorten triggered a political stoush over the regime by appointing the three panel members on August 5 last year, hours before the federal government entered caretaker mode ahead of the election. Mr Shorten, now Opposition Leader, approved the three panel members out of a field of 40 candidates despite objections from the Coalition and industry concerns about their private positions. Neither Mr Gibbs nor Ms Allen could be contacted for comment yesterday. Is this just another example of the back-door tactics of Bill Shorten? Labor pollies and the rank and file must be asking themselves, how did this guy become leader? Or was he thrown up knowing that Abbott would be in government for at least 6 years?
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 07:51:28 +0000
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