The problem for liberals is that there are not enough of us to ever constitute a majority. So if you want to influence government you need to make an alliance with the representatives of labour, or capital. 31 years ago I decided that capital was the least unpalatable option. I’ve never doubted that judgement, although capitalists can be pretty dopey from time to time, particularly when it comes to politics.
But not as dopey as some representatives of labour.
Take Sharan Burrow. When she wants it, Labor will probably give her a safe seat, but it’s quite possible that she’s just lost them this election by lobbying to have Australia placed on a list of the 25 “worst” countries by the ILO.
I can’t find the list anywhere, but according to the ACTU website, “Australia’s case will be heard alongside cases from Burma, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Colombia and other countries that are known as the world’s worst violators of labour rights.” Other reports say Colombia, where 72 unionists were assissinated last year, has been bumped by Australia. With 178 countries involved in the ILO, it beggars belief that Colombia’s the only example of an egregious double-standard.
What’s even more ironic is that in other areas the ILO says that Australia is the best.

The report, citing 2004 figures, said women earn at least 30 percent less than men for manufacturing jobs in Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. But the gap also prevails in Europe, where women in manufacturing earn less than 80 percent of what men make in Austria, Britain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Switzerland.
Bahrain was the worst of 37 countries in the comparison, while Sweden and Australia were the best.

The reason why this referral to the committee is obviously nonsense, and therefore likely to be damaging to the ALP on its merits, not just the fact that they are calling in the UN cavalry, is that the outcomes in Australia are so good.
If our labour laws contravene the ILO conventions, then perhaps the conventions need to be re-examined.