Merry Post-Truth Christmas

21st December 2016

I learn’t a new phrase in November this year to describe events that are apparently unexplainable by rational analysis - ‘Post-truth’. This is great news as earlier in the year I predicted 2016 would define how Australian employment relationships would be governed for the next generation, and I am struggling to understand how certain events have unfolded over the past twelve months. So, before I make any further rash predictions, here are my post-truth observations of Australian workplace relations in 2016.

Malcolm Turnbull lead the nation to a double dissolution election in July because the Senate wouldn’t pass the government’s union anti-corruption laws, whilst barely mentioning workplace relations in the campaign he legislates in November allowing a further two years of anti-competitive collusion in the building industry.

The Fair Work Commission must ensure modern awards provide a fair and relevant safety net taking into account, amongst other things, the need to promote efficient and productive work performance, whilst the Commission takes four years to complete the 4-Yearly Review of Modern Awards.

Compulsory superannuation is supposed to enable working people to save for their retirement, whilst the government imposes new taxes on people that supposedly save too much.

The NBN was going to transform Australian business communications, whilst I live and work within 2km of the Melbourne CBD and can’t access it.

Australian politicians talk incessantly about encouraging skilled jobs in manufacturing, whilst actively organising the demise of affordable electricity necessary to attract and retain manufacturing.

Finally, and most baffling is Gillian Triggs is still President of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The Oxford dictionary defines the adjective post-truth as ‘relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief’

Of course this is nothing more than a convenient excuse applied by political, social and economic commentators incapable of understanding events of which they disagree.

If anyone can provide a rational non post-truth explanation for the events I have described I would be greatly obliged. Until then, Merry Post-truth Christmas. Looking forward to 2017.