Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry) Bill 2012. It is a bill which is basically a long note to the parliament to admit failure, because this bill says that the much heralded so-called Fair Work Act has failed. It has completely failed this group of workers, presumably, because if the so-called Fair Work Act is so good and works so well why are we back here adding additional protections for another group of workers? I think the Prime Minister is on the record as saying:

I believe the Fair Work system is right.

…   …   …

We worked hard to get the balance right and I believe the Fair Work Act is right.

If the Fair Work Act was drafted well by the current Prime Minister and by members opposite, what are we doing today before this House adding additional protections? Why are we here?

We are here because they failed. They failed completely. They have misled the country. We are seeing it day in and day out. We are seeing strikes shut down coalmining in Queensland. We see strikes shut down wharves. We see strikes shut down airlines. We are seeing small businesses dragged through the good old days of 'go-away money' with adverse action claims and unfair dismissal claims. And now we are seeing this group of workers apparently being ripped off under the very system that members opposite claim is protecting the country so well and protecting the working people so well.

We know that to be true because those members opposite are not about protecting workers; they are about protecting their mates. They are about protecting their vested interests. They are about ensuring that their privileged position in the bargaining process continues, that they are legislated in, because they know most workers want to be out, and the stats tell you that story every day of the week. We know why workers are walking away from the trade union bosses in droves. Why wouldn't they, when people who are members of unions such as the HSU see their money, from their hard work, used up against the wall for the personal benefit of certain members—

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