Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question, and I am very happy to explain it to him. Forward with Fairness provided that we would keep existing arrangements in relation to right of entry, and let me describe to him what we have kept. We have kept the need to have a permit. We have kept the need to be a fit and proper person to have a permit. We have kept the need to give 24 hours notice of entering premises. We have kept the need for proper conduct, for people to behave properly when they are on premises. All of those rules are the same in the Fair Work Bill as they have been under current law and, indeed, as they were under former law. What the shadow minister may not realise is that Work Choices in particular changed the nature of the relationship between industrial instruments to try to lock people out. What we are saying is that unions must abide by strict criteria: being a fit and proper person, getting a permit, giving 24 hours notice, conducting themselves properly—all of the right of entry rules that were in existence are still in existence in our policy Forward with Fairness. We said we would have those rules; we do have those rules.

The great misrepresentation happening here amongst the Liberal Party is that they are twisting and turning to try to find some excuse to defeat the Fair Work Bill. Why? Not because they are concerned about—

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