Senator Arthur Sinodinos delivered his maiden speech in parliament last week and took the opportunity to praise his former boss John Howard. One of the architects of the workplace relations policy that became WorkChoices under PM Howard, the Senator told a packed upper house (including Mr Howard in the front row of the public gallery), that a mistake had been made in WorkChoices when the award safety net had been stripped back.
“The truth is we failed to prepare the ground for such a major reform,” said Senator Sinodinos.” Some employers abused that freedom.” John Howard’s 2007 election defeat was partly blamed on the WorkChoices policy.
Mr Howard was reported to have flinched as the Senator’s mea culpa on WorkChoices began. Mr Sinodinos was often lauded as “the real deputy PM” in the Howard administration. In his speech he described John Howard as “a fighter, someone who was prepared to take the knocks for what he believed, pick himself up and have another go. “Observing John Howard convinced me that politics is not worth a candle unless you are fighting for something.”
Reflecting on the Gillard government’s recent victories, Sinodinos said the Labor Government’s carbon tax was a “giant churn of taxpayer’s money,” that in the absence of international action, “will only harm Australian industry and send greenhouse emissions offshore.” Senator Sinodinos was also critical of the Government’s mining tax, saying it should be “put on hold to avoid a double whammy on the resources sector.”
Paying tribute to his heritage, he shared his views on population targets, saying a bigger Australia was needed to meet future economic challenges.
“Mr President, I’m not a Polyanna, I do not doubt that a bigger Australia poses environmental, planning, infrastructure and other challenges, but a richer economy is also better equipped to deal with such matters,” he said. “For me the social dividend in particular of a big Australia is more jobs, jobs and jobs. This is the best income redistribution known to man.
“I am proud of my Greek heritage, which is the basis of Western civilisation,” said the Senator to the gallery’s amusement, “and you should still be paying for it, and you will.”
With his wife Elizabeth present, the Senator thanked her for her love and support. “She’s tougher, smarter and more discerning in her judgments than I am,” he said.
“To my children Dion and Isobella, I hope you will forgive my absences and in coming years learn that serving others is a noble cause,” he said. Senator Sinodinos was John Howard’s chief of staff from 1997 to 2006. In 2008 he was recognised for his contribution to public service with an Order of Australia.