War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength: Newspeak is alive and well

Seems that the name “Workchoices” is on the outer, and has been banished from the Federal government’s vocabulary. The Workchoices hotline is now the Workplace Infoline, and telephone operators have been told to change all references from “WorkChoices” to “workplace relations”.

According to Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey the reason for the change in terminology is not because Workchoices is a steaming pile of dogshit the government wants to distance itself from, nor is it the open, festering sore that is looking to cost it big come next election, but because the newly-introduced ‘fairness test’ is different to the existing WorkChoices laws.

Hockey also denied Labor spokesperson Julia Gillard’s claims about the reason for the change:

“So ashamed is he of these laws that he has told the public service to no longer use the terminology,” she said.

She was in good form tonight, with the following comments about the government changing inconvenient terminology:

“It has become clear today that John Howard has now banned the use of the word Work Choices,” Ms Gillard told the group.

“I just want you to understand that John (Howard’s) changing of the language isn’t going to stop there.

“We will no longer refer to the Iraq war, that will be referred to as the Iraq peace.

“Helen Coonan will no longer be the Minister for Communications – she will be referred to as the minister for truth.

“At the same time the Treasurer (Peter Costello) will now be renamed as the minister for plenty.

“And further tax cuts will be referred to as Pete’s plenty payments.”

Enough of the Orwell references for now.