THE REASON FOR THE END OF WATER RATS -- Water Rats Message Board

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Subject: THE REASON FOR THE END OF WATER RATS

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Date Posted: 17:04:05 08/04/01 Sat

This is the reason for the end of water rats, i found it on theage.com.au web site

The cast of top rating television show Water Rats yesterday called on the Australian Democrats to block an industrial relations bill they say would paralyse the entertainment industry.

Legislation to come before a Senate committee hearing today would force performers to negotiate new agreements for each job they undertook.

"There is a set of guidelines that works very well, which has taken a long time to get together," said actor Steve Bisley, who plays Detective Jack Christie in Water Rats.

"It seems an absolute foolishness to throw it out.

"It seems this blanket thing about they want to put everyone in this enterprise bargaining basket.

"I think it's a nonsense ... in this industry when we have such a good working arrangement at the moment."

His co-star Toni Scanlan, who plays Sergeant Helen Blakemore, said the new legislation would paralyse the industry if it went through.

"The current arrangements offer certainty to employers and employees," she said.

"The proposed changes to prevent industry bargaining will paralyse the industry."

The Water Rats cast said clauses in current contracts such as nudity, merchandising and revoicing clauses would be at risk if the legislation were passed.

The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) was on the set of Water Rats at Goat Island, to spread the message that the proposed bargaining amendments would be damaging to the industry.

"I have no doubt the aim of the government is to undermine the strength of workers negotiating collectively with their employers," MEAA national director Simon Whipp told reporters.

"The life of a performer is precarious enough, with 85 per cent unemployed at any one time and average annual earnings in the vicinity of $14,000.

"Making that life any more precarious will mean that people are forced out of the industry and the life of a performer will become more unattractive," he said.
- AAP

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