The political advertisement in today’s Courier Mail newspaper by Lawrence Springborg is an attempt to con Queenslanders about the Liberal-National Party’s plan to cut jobs and slash services in the Queensland public sector says the ACTU.

The ad is a blatant rip-off of the well-known Your Rights At Work campaign run by unions against the unfair WorkChoices IR laws.

ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said unions would take legal action immediately to prevent the Liberal and National Party from deceiving the public in this way.

Mr Lawrence said:

“This is a cheap political trick by Lawrence Springborg and the Qld Liberal National Party.

“It is designed to mislead the public and misrepresents the well-known union campaign to protect workers’ rights.

“The true intent of Mr Springborg and the Liberal National Party’s policies is revealed in the text of the ad, which confirms that the party aims to make ‘savings’ by cutting public sector jobs.

“Unions believe it is essential that job security and workers’ rights are front and centre in the public debate at the moment.

“Queenslanders need to be aware of Mr Springborg’s plans to cut jobs and services in the Queensland public sector, to privatise public assets and to use individual contracts if he is elected.

“But it is disgraceful for Mr Springborg to try and deceive Queenslanders by running misleading ads and unions will be taking legal action under the Queensland Electoral Act,” said Mr Lawrence.