Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I see the member for Shortland is here. I don't know if that's a gold medal, Jill—more like a gold Oscar!

But it gives me great pleasure to speak to this matter of public importance, because the Australian people deserve the truth. We are delivering more jobs for the people of Australia. I will start with a couple of facts that may be of interest to members opposite and in particular the member for Gorton. Firstly, there are more Australians in work today than at any stage under your six years of government. This means more jobs in the Australian economy that any stage under Labor's six years of government. Secondly, the wages and conditions of Australian workers are not set by the government, so clearly you missed the info session on how the Australian industrial relations system works.

The minimum wage and penalty rates are determined by the Fair Work Commission, an independent umpire. The government has made it clear in the media that, even if there are recommendations from the Productivity Commission about minimum wages or penalty rates, the government will not move on them; so, quite frankly, with each passing day I am finding it harder to take the members opposite seriously. I think all of us are finding it very hard. You are devoid of ideas and you are so steadfast in your opposition to everything that it makes you wonder where your expertise on wages and conditions of Australian workers come from. You do not have an original idea between you, so it must come from something in your past, but what could that be? Who could that be? Perhaps it comes from your ticket into federal parliament—a trade union membership? Or perhaps it comes from Labor's favourite son, and who is that? Craig Thomson, the post boy of denial and self-indulgence whose economic philosophy focused on getting more bang for his buck—sorry, I meant the HSU members' bucks—

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