Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

And, yes, of course delivery drivers with online platforms. The opposition suggest that, with respect to that eight to nine per cent of the economy, the independent contractors, it is completely desirable across the board or a very simple thing to have one body—and in this case they have nominated the Fair Work Commission—determine how those independent contractors would be remunerated. Of course, independent contractors at the moment are remunerated according to their independent contract.

People in this House might remember the last time that the Labor Party decided it would be a very simple thing to determine what the remuneration of independent contractors would be. That was under the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal. Members might recall how that worked out—very, very poorly. We did abolish it, and the reason we abolished it is it wasn't working; it was costing the economy an enormous amount of money—$2.3 billion! Luke Sheridan was quoted at the time; he was a 44-year-old owner driver who operated on the east coast. He said the tribunal had made it more difficult to conduct business, and warned the new mandatory pay regime would prevent him from giving accurate—

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