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

In answer to the member for Adelaide, I am aware of some examples of people driving away without paying for their petrol. That is a product of high petrol prices, I guess, and the willingness of some in the community to avoid their legal responsibilities. I am not personally aware—and I think she would agree it is hardly reasonable that I should be aware—of the employment circumstances of everybody who works at a service station. From two generations of my family’s experience, I do know something about what is involved in working at a petrol service station. In fact, one of my own sons worked at a BP some years ago, so I am very familiar. But all I can say—and I am not casting an opinion on this case as I do not know the facts and circumstances and it would not be fair of me, in relation to either the young man or his employer, to express an opinion—is that generally speaking, irrespective of what industrial relations laws you have, some employers do the wrong thing and some employees do the wrong thing.

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