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

There is another interesting fact that, again, the member for Perth was totally unaware of. They say that it is bewildering that although the union has been ‘appointed bargaining agent for several of our employees, they have not made any contact with our office to discuss any issues regarding the AWA. We believe the union is more concerned with their own survival than the wellbeing of our employees’.

That is too true. So we have had the member for Perth sink the boat of his skipper yesterday. He ought to have the decency to apologise not just to this House and to the people of Australia; he ought to have the decency to apologise to this company and their 43 employees. It is no wonder—I will finish on this note—that business in Australia has no confidence in the Leader of the Opposition and the Australian Labor Party. They have shown through this example that they are prepared to traduce the reputation of a business and to trash business in Australia. That is economic vandalism and this man should never, ever be given an opportunity to put that into practice.

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