Gillard revives Work Choices bogey

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has made an 11th-hour bid to base her case for
re-election on decisive issues of the 2007 poll, warning the coalition poses a risk
to the economy and could revive Work Choices.
The Labor leader campaigned in a string of marginal seats in NSW on Friday,
appealing to workers and addressing a union rally in Sydney's west where she warned
there was clear evidence Opposition Leader Tony Abbott planned to make changes to
industrial relations laws.
On the eve of the election, billed by Labor as about moving the nation forward, Ms
Gillard conducted no fewer than 20 radio interviews and toured key marginal seats on
the NSW central coast and in western Sydney.
At almost every event the message was the same - that Mr Abbott is a risk and that
Australians face a return to Work Choices if the coalition is elected.
Ms Gillard has accused Mr Abbott of planning to make changes to industrial relations
laws by regulation after the opposition leader refused to answer questions about the
issue when asked by journalists while campaigning in Sydney.
Pointing to opinion polls which suggest the election will be "tight and tough", Ms
Gillard warned that there was a "real risk that Mr Abbott will be prime minister on
Sunday".
She said Australians were faced with her positive plan of investing in the nature's
future, creating jobs, boosting health care and delivering a national broadband
network, compared with Mr Abbott who promised to rip $1 billion out of
apprenticeship support and another billion from the pharmaceutical benefits scheme,
and cut GP super clinics.
Work Choices, the industrial relations regime abolished by Labor, was the central
theme as the prime minister went on the attack less than 24 hours before the nation
votes.
"As the hours count down to the opening of the polls tomorrow, the shape of this
election contest is becoming clearer and clearer," she said.
"And certainly a major issue that is becoming clearer and clearer today is Mr
Abbott's plan to reintroduce Work Choices."
Earlier, when asked about his industrial relations policy, Mr Abbott initially
directed journalists to the coalition's website and reiterated he wouldn't be
touching workplace laws.
"Our overriding commitment is to democracy and to respect the judgment of the
people," he said, referring to the 2007 election result, which was seen as a clear
rejection of the Howard government's Work Choices regime.
Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott was not being honest.
"That's not true," she said.
"Mr Abbott has always supported Work Choices and if he is elected as prime minister,
then the risk for working families is that Work Choices returns.
"When Mr Abbott was asked about this today he declined on a number of occasions to
rule out changes to the regulations under the Fair Work Act," she said during a
visit to a factory in Seven Hills in Sydney's west, in the marginal seat of
Greenway.
Ms Gillard denied her attack based around Work Choices was a sign of desperation as
the polls predict an election too close to call.
But the prime minister, in what was her last media conference before polling,
appeared rattled as journalists accused her of turning negative in the final hours
of the campaign.
The comments came amid reports that voters were receiving automated telephone calls
warning them that if the coalition is elected Work Choices will be back.
Ms Gillard will stay the night in western Sydney.
Earlier, Ms Gillard attended the opening of a shopping centre at Top Ryde in the
seat of Bennelong followed by a union rally at the Mt Druitt Workers Club, in the
seat of Chifley.
Ms Gillard finished her campaigning on Friday with a walk through the streets of
Springwood in the marginal seat of Macquarie in the Blue Mountains.
The prime minister is expected to continue campaigning in western Sydney on Saturday
morning before heading to Melbourne to vote and await the outcome of the election.