Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I will finish where I started. This is a very sad day for Australia. It is such an iconic company that has employed Australians over many decades. It is a company that most Australians grew up with. Instead of finding a way to ensure its future, it is fair to say that the government has been derelict by failing to support the company when support was needed. That is why this motion needed to be debated today. That is why the opposition has brought this matter on. When it comes to looking after industry and indeed workers in this country you will always find Labor standing up for them, defending their interests and ensuring that we find the best way possible to provide support for those industries. That is the exact opposite to we have seen. But that should not be surprising: everything this government said in opposition has turned out to be the complete opposite to what it has done when elected.

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