Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

The National Secretary of the Health Services Union, Kathy Jackson, has said that the investigation of allegations against the member for Dobell by Fair Work Australia was far too slow. I asked the Prime Minister today to detail the contact between her as Prime Minister or in her former role as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, or the contact of her staff or any minister and their staff with officials of Fair Work Australia. She not only avoided the question but the Prime Minister appeared slippery and shifty. She will not say what has gone on between Fair Work Australia and the Prime Minister's office over this investigation. But should we be surprised by this lack of principle on the part of the Prime Minister? We know how the Prime Minister came to office. She had promised faithfully as Deputy Prime Minister that she would never challenge the Prime Minister for the leadership of this country prior to the last election. She was specifically asked on radio on 10 May 2010:

So will you promise you will not be leader at the next federal election?

Julia Gillard:

I can, completely. … this is, you know, it makes good copy for newspapers but it is not within cooee of my day-to-day reality. You may as well ask me am I anticipating a trip to Mars. No I'm not...

So how can the Australian people believe anything this Prime Minister says? She misled her leader into believing she would never challenge him for the leadership, and challenge she did. She stood before the Australian people at the last election and said, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.' (Time expired)

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