From: brendan@otc.otca.oz (Brendan Jones)
Newsgroups: aus.politics
Subject: What's in store for Victoria?
Date: 7 Oct 92 03:40:18 GMT
Distribution: aus

Jeff Kennett threatened all sorts of major reforms during the election
campaign in Victoria recently, much of it apparently even drier than what's
happened in NSW since the Liberals were voted into office here in 1988.

Since John Fahey took over from Nick Greiner, a human face seems to have
returned to the Government (and popularity has risen considerably).  So what
did the Liberals do in NSW during those heady days just after winning office
(when most of the reforms were pushed through)?

Can Victoria expect the same?

* INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Undoubtedly one of the biggest changes in NSW was in Industrial Relations.
Legislation to allow enterprise bargaining outside of the Industrial Awards
system (for workers under State Awards only) was passed in March 1991, despite
only the second post-war general strike (which lots of people ignored) held
only a few weeks beforehand in protest.

Although the unions promised blood on the streets, there has been none.  The
first work-place enterprise agreement for a small business was quietly
ratified only about three months ago.  Another 64 agreements for small
businesses are in the pipeline.  The sort of thing that's happened include
workers foregoing weekend penalty rates for higher average rates of pay over
*any* five days they work.  Everybody seems pretty happy with the flexibility
the new system offers.

* TRANSPORT

Another big ticket area, the Government has copped large amounts of flak for
cutting back public transport services deemed 'uneconomic'.  Over the past
four years, 12000 jobs have been shed from CityRail.

New timetables for the entire CityRail suburban train network were introduced
in 1991, with many services cut or time drastically altered.  However, all
remaining single deck carriages were withdrawn, and as 8 car double deck sets
can fit more people, allegedly services were less crowded.

However, some new services were introduced, the Richmond line was electrified,
and some better express services introduced.  No doubt there have been both
winners and losers with the new services.

In 1989, 24 hour trains in Sydney were abolished, with 1am to 4am services
replaced by 'NightRide' buses.

Private enterprise has been sounded out for heavy rail network extensions,
such as building a rail link out to Mascot Airport from Central.

The Non-rail services (buses and ferries) have undergone major restructuring
and efficiency improvements and both now return annual profits.  CityRail
still loses about $1 million per *day* (but much less than the $2.5 million
per day of four years ago).

From my experience the services are generally cleaner and more reliable than
they used to be, although in parts, not as frequent.

* ROADS

Another contentious issue, the Government has embraced tollways as the best
way of building major new freeways.  The line has been "we can have user-pays
roads now, or Government-paid roads maybe 20 years in the future, or maybe
never".

Although slow to take off (it was three years before the first tollway
contract was signed) there has been an amazing spate of major new freeways
and tollways opened in the Sydney are this year (six already, with three more
to open in the remainder of the year), most built within existing road
reservations.

Although some have viewed this as an indication of some new road-based
philosophy, most of these projects had been stymied for the past 20 years due
to lack of funds and were always on the drawing boards.

The tollways have caused a great deal of anger in some suburbs, but there's
no doubting that the private companies have not only built the new roads about
four time faster than the RTA could manage, the roads are beautifully built,
wonderfully landscaped, and incredibly well soundproofed.

* TRADING

One of the first things the Liberal Government did in 1988 was deregulate
trading hours.  Only through the insistance of Church leaders did days such
as Christmas Day and Good Friday remain off limits.  This opened up Friday
night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday trading.

Grace Bros (Myers to you Mexicans) in the City was the first Department store
to open on Sundays in mid 1988.  Although reasonably slow to take off, Sunday
trading spread from the Pitt St Mall area to cover most of the Sydney CBD by
1991, and only recently, all major suburban shopping centres such as Bondi
Junction and Chatswood are now open all day Sunday.

David Jones only one month ago relented against the swelling tide and now also
opens all of its major stores on Sunday.

Although special licenses were required for any store to trade on Sundays, it
appears that the issuing of such a licence is a mere formality now.

The shoppers certainly enjoy the new flexibilty, as evidenced by the crowds
shopping on Sundays.  Some stores are experimenting with even longer hours.
Darling Harbour shops open until 7pm every night (9pm was tried for a while),
there are two Woolworths stores open until midnight every night, and two 24
hour Coles stores.

All I can say is it's about time Melbourne caught up.

That's enough for now.  IMHO the Liberal's zeal for reform has certainly made
big improvements in service quality and accountability in some areas, whilst
alienating a great many people by reducing services in other areas.  There
have been some teriffic achievements and some woeful debacles (eg Eastern
Creek Raceway).

All in all, Victoria, you're in for an interesting four years!

-- 
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