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

I am making the very simple point that on this side of the House and through the laws we have delivered, we deliver to the Australian people a free choice to decide whether or not they want to be members of a union. I would have thought anybody who believes in democracy believes in that, but clearly the Liberal opposition do not believe in that proposition. Indeed, when they were in government that is the way they acted. In 2007 Australians around this country made a decision that they wanted fairness and decency at work. I acknowledge in the gallery today members of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, who fought for fairness and decency at work, and now they can see firsthand the anti-work rabble they got rid of.

An incident having occurred in the gallery—

See this speech in context