Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I find it extraordinary that we have this dummy spit from the minister. The minister gets very precious, because he refuses to answer a question about a report that is provided to him by the Office of Workplace Services in respect of Cowra Abattoir when it is crystal clear to the entire community that the owners of Cowra Abattoir effected an unfair dismissal against the employees of that abattoir, consistent with the government’s legislation—operational reasons for a company that has more than 100 employees.

The minister does a dummy spit when he is sprung on that and then sits rooted to his chair, either through fear or arrogance—or both—and refuses to answer the question that he has been asked on any number of occasions, because it does not suit his political convenience. Is leave for trade union training prohibited content under the government’s legislation?

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