Private healthcare & social srvcs are Cwth-led weapons to dismantle public goods & decent work. $Bs funneled to private VET RTOs to smash once-world-leading TAFE systm. User-pays "markets" created in child, disability & agedcare. All battering rams to cut state public srvcs.1/9

Private operators get lucrative delivery contracts from Cwth govt w NO requirement to observe decent labour standards. In fact procurement laws reward firms that cut labour costs. FWC regularly approves wage cut applications from emplyrs seeking to compete for Cwth contracts. 2/9

Private soc srvcs biz models are unsophisticated & antiquated: drive down cost of largest input (labour), skim off bigger profit. Low-paid insecure wrk & drive to deskill then forms the FOUNDATION of private srvs & huge segment of the Aus economy. Coalition govt want this. 3/9

Its clear COVID is circulating within & thru essential wrkforce incl low-paid agedcare wrkrs. Ending the damaging cycle of shutdowns, transmission & preventable deaths requires firm confrontation w failures of labour dereg & private soc srvcs: the heart of Aus neoliberalism 4/9

States need immediate funding & support to resume control over health & soc. srvcs facilities failing to lift quality & pay of essential jobs incl. COVID-level WHS standards. State admins have far more exp. delivering frontline services & can wrk closer on ground w sector. 5/9

Major contradictions are emerging from Morrison's pro-dereg, business-led IR agenda & pandemic reality. If Cwth wont extend urgent paid sick leave entitlements, they must return IR powers back to states. Otherwise VIC cant control outbreak & other states will be ill-prepared. 6/9

State govts are critical to effective public COVID response but dont have sufficient resources & on-ground knowledge to take over failing facilities, save lives & contain disease longterm. Unions must be recognised as critical infrastructure in our public COVID response! 7/9

Staffing, skills, resourcing & WHS regimes are unions' bread & butter. They cohere knowledge, capacities & coordination of 00s/000s wrkrs at workplace & sector level (I'd trust @anmf_federal more than any1 else on healthcare!). 8/9

Lifting our internationally-condemned anti-union laws must be part of our public health & economic recovery response. 00s/000s of everyday ppl passionate about building safer, quality jobs & soc. services worthy of the Aus community stand ready. @unionsaustralia END.