He's a complete fuckwit. It sucks that you lost your job Dave and it sucks that heaps of good Aussie's are now getting put over a barrel and have to take it from behind from their employers. It just plain sucks and it is wrong and the only way we can fight back is if the people rise up and say No. Make sure you tell as many of your friends and associates as you can how you feel and try to change something.
I recently lost my job too.
These laws suck.
Thankfully, they haven't hit the wages of white collar workers as badly because they realise they are going to get shit staff if they cut the pay too much, but give it 10 years in effect, and I think we'll be just as bad off across the board.
Not a pleasant topic at all.