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

I was responding to a question by the member for Chisholm. The member for Chisholm asked me about industrial relations arrangements and about Work Choices and I was reminding the House that under Work Choices over two-thirds of Australian workplace agreements removed penalty rates, 31 per cent took away rest breaks, nearly half took away overtime loadings and 63 per cent removed incentive based payments and bonuses. That is, they took away the kinds of payments that working people rely on to do things like pay the mortgage and pay the bills.

Today in New South Wales we are seeing the return of Work Choices. It is back to take it or leave it. It is back to no negotiation, no bargaining, no independent umpire. In fact, it is back as if 100 years of Labor reform of workplace relations had not happened. These changes are targeted at Australians who are very hard working and who deserve to be treated with respect—like teachers, like nurses, like firefighters. As this action happens today and as we see this conduct by the New South Wales Liberal government, it reminds Australians that, whatever the Liberal party says to you before an election, after the election it is back to workplace relations reform and back to Work Choices. This is a living example for Australians—

Opposition members interjecting—

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