Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the National Party—the hostages to One Nation; they could not learn to fight with them. What we have seen is some of these coalition members of parliament saying: 'It's a minor matter. It is a marginal matter.' No, it is not a minor or marginal matter for most Australians. What has been the defence that we have seen from the government? I have never seen so many startled wallabies in the headlights as this government when this decision came down. What its first defence has been is that, through enterprise bargaining, unions have negotiated on behalf of members flexibilities in return for increases in pay. What this government wilfully chooses to do is confuse a pure pay cut with the process of enterprise bargaining in this country.

Then we had the ghost of previous banquets, Senator Abetz, making his contribution: the proposal of grandfathering. I noticed that the Prime Minister was saying today, almost in a parallel universe, 'But the commission says that there will be a transition, so no-one will be worse off.' No, Prime Minister, that is not correct. The decision means that on 1 July there will be a reduction in penalty rates.

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

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