Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

‘Verballing’. Righto. This is a briefing to SmartCompany on 7 December 2007 and it says:

Ciobo says any attempt by Labor to cut down the 100 employee threshold for exemption from unfair dismissal laws will receive his “absolute and confirmed opposition”.

I reckon that is pretty absolute and pretty confirmed, and he says today: ‘I didn’t say anything like that. Craig Emerson’s putting words in my mouth.’

The truth is they never had the heart to bury Work Choices today because they were, they are and they always will be the party of Work Choices. By voting against the Nation Building and Jobs Plan, the coalition voted for higher unemployment, and that is the hypocrisy of this MPI today. The coalition’s positions are being driven by the not-so-retiring opposition-leader-in-waiting, the member for Higgins—the bored member for Higgins. That is why he is doing so much media. Having to endure the sort of speech that that he had to endure here today, no wonder he is bored. The temporary Leader of the Opposition is attempting to shore up his shaky position by pretending to be all things to all people in the coalition party room. It will not work. He is an opportunist. (Time expired)

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