John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

He said:

This industry would not be here in Western Australia under a collective agreement. Our product would be nowhere near as high. We would not be able to survive.

This is field evidence. This is evidence from people who know the industry. They know the value of workplace agreements. They know the poison that returning to collective agreements would represent for their industry. I say again that the plan of the Leader of the Opposition in relation to workplace agreements is a direct attack on aspirational Australia. It is a direct attack on the success stories of Australian industry. It is a direct attack on our export industries. As the member for Brand, the Leader of the Opposition ought to be ashamed that it is a direct attack on the prosperity of the great state of Western Australia.

See this speech in context