This book documents the extensive scale of the process of state restructuring and the increasing variation in the arrangements for providing public goods and services, often accompanied by uncertainty. It shows many sectors of the community to be increasingly distrustful of the impact and consequences of these arrangements. And it shows the way in which policy makers find themselves caught between promoting the reforms, predominantly for economic reasons, and responding to the community's suspicion. This book shows that it is those who actually provide public services who feel the changes most acutely, as they face questions about ownership, find their arrangements for work patterns and organization recast, and suffer increasing insecurity about work and employment futures.
The book grapples with these issues through a series of case studies on Qantas, Telstra, the electricity industries in NSW and Victoria, Job Network, Local government, and the Gas & Fuel Corporation of Victoria. These seven case studies, three of privatisations by the Australian Federal Government and four of change initiated by State Governments, provide a detailed analysis of the resulting changes in employment and industrial relations.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: Corporatisation and Privatisation in Australia - Peter Fairbrother, Michael Paddon and Julian Teicher
CHAPTER 2: Entering the International Aviation Industry: Privatisation of QANTAS - Rai Small
CHAPTER 3: Internationalising Telecommunications: Telstra - Ruth Barton
CHAPTER 4: Preparing for the National Electricity Market: The New South Wales Electricity Industry - Duncan MacDonald and Mark Bray
CHAPTER 5: The Advent of Multi-national Ownership of the Victorian Electricity Generating Plants: Questions for Labour - Peter Fairbrother and Jonathon Testi
CHAPTER 6: Privatisation by Stealth The Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria - Ruth Barton
CHAPTER 7: Where are the Jobs in the Job Network?: Competitive Tendering of Employment Services - Patricia Ranald
CHAPTER 8: Privatising Local Government: The Victorian Experience - Julian Teicher and Bernadine Van Gramberg
CHAPTER 9: State Restructuring and Labour - Peter Fairbrother and Michael Paddon