Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Calwell for her question, as she is someone who represents many aviation workers in her area. The government welcomes the decision of the High Court today. We congratulate the workers, and we congratulate the Transport Workers Union, which took this case forward. Some of those 1,700 illegally sacked workers are here today in the public gallery right now. I met with three of them just before question time, Damien Pollard, Gavin Burns and Craig Fielding. Some of you may have seen Damien Pollard in the media conference outside the High Court. He referred to a sense of justification and redemption. I say to the workers who were illegally sacked: you did nothing wrong. Qantas broke the law, and the government of the time left you stranded.

The difference in the approach between that government and this government now could not be more stark. Let's not forget what happened. They claimed JobKeeper, saying that that was for people to keep jobs.

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