Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

because it dared to support the labour market reforms in this country. She said of the IMF, because it supported what this government has done to create jobs and drive up wages in Australia, that it was morally bankrupt and economically short-sighted—again, talking down Australia and talking down the Australian economy overseas. These are attacks on the economy in this country.

You would be forgiven for thinking that Sharan Burrow thought that you know who, the Leader of the Opposition, was still the minister for employment in Australia. She must be thinking about the days when we had unemployment rates under the Labor Party still over 10 per cent. She must be thinking back to the days under the Leader of the Opposition as the minister for employment when real wages actually went backwards in Australia. One would be forgiven for thinking that Sharan Burrow was still living in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when this man here was responsible for destroying employment in Australia. Can I say this: it is one thing to have a reasoned debate here in Australia about these matters, but when people like Sharan Burrow go overseas and talk down Australia and the Australian economy that is simply a disgrace.

See this speech in context