Unions keep up WorkCover attack

Unions have dug into the Premier's political past to paint him as a hypocrite over his controversial plans to reform WorkCover.

Archival footage of Mike Rann as opposition leader attacking Liberal government WorkCover reforms is part of a continuing union push to force a backdown on the latest changes.

In 1995, Mr Rann led the unions' charge against the government changes to workers' compensation and a leading union official Russell Wortley also led the anti-government protests.

Now in 2008 Mr Rann aims to reduce the WorkCover scheme's costs by cutting benefits for injured workers.

Mr Wortley is now a state Labor MP - one of several former union leaders in the Legislative Council whom the party's leadership expects to fall in line and back the WorkCover bill when Parliament resumes next week.

Mr Wortley has defended the ALP's WorkCover policy, saying it ensures the future of workers' compensation.

He says when someone becomes a member of parliament they sometimes have to make hard decisions.

"This legislation is hard, it's very hard and I know that the many members in the caucus have struggled with the whole concept of what we're doing," he said.

"But the Government believes that this is what is required to ensure that we have a long-term, viable workers' compensation scheme in this state."

With the scheme's liability creeping ever closer to the billion-dollar mark, the SA Government is keen to put an end to debate.

But unions are making threats to campaign on the issue right up to the next SA election.

Source: ABC News