Middle ground?_其他_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Middle ground?

It was the “mums and dads” — those who had generally enjoyed good times and low interest rates under the Howard Government — who had to be won over, he said. “They're the ones who are going to get it in the neck when the award system is gutted.”

So the workers were asked to add $5 a week to their union dues for a month to help fund the ACTU's advertising campaign against the changes, a campaign that was costing about $6 million, but was certain to go “way above” that figure.

The motion was carried unanimously without debate and, after closing the meeting and chatting with the factory manager, Kalomiris prepared to deliver the same pitch at another factory.

Last night, the Government launched its bid to convince the same “mums and dads” that the new system is all about greater choice, more jobs, higher wages and more opportunities for their children, with television advertisements portraying happy workers giving the changes their approval.

While John Howard denied that his advertising campaign would cost taxpayers about $100 million, he conceded the cost would be “significant” (the ACTU claims about $12 million will be spent on government ads in the next three weeks, before the legislation is introduced in Melbourne Cup week).

But the Prime Minister is refusing to give the same guarantee — that no one will be worse off under the new system — that he gave before the 1996 election. The “preliminary explanatory memorandum” he released yesterday will not convince the skeptics that the new system will make everyone a winner....