Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Would the minister advise the House of the benefits to the economy of greater workplace flexibility? Do international experiences align with those in Australia, and is the minister aware of any alternative approaches to workplace reform both here and overseas?

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Moncrieff for his question and his interest in this. His question about international experiences reminds me that in 1997—in fact, on 9 September 1997—the then new Labour Prime Minister of Great Britain, Tony Blair, made a famous address to the Trade Union Congress in that country in which he said, amongst other things:

You should remember in everything you do that fairness at work starts with the chance of a job ...

Very prophetic words from the Labour Prime Minister of Great Britain. Of course, this must be put in the context that at that stage it was predicted that, when Mr Blair first went to address the Trade Union Congress as the Prime Minister of the UK, he would go along and promise to rip up the industrial relations changes that had been put in place by the Thatcher government previously. Mr Blair had the ticker to stand up to the union leaders, who wanted to rip up the changes which had been put in place—something that ought to be a lesson for the Leader of the Opposition here in Australia. Indeed, if one looks at the experience in the UK since then, those changes, which Mr Blair was prepared to support in the face of opposition from the union movement, have led to more jobs and a lower unemployment rate in that country—indeed, a lower unemployment rate than exists in this country today. If one goes the 22 miles or so across the English Channel there is a totally different picture when one looks at what has happened in France and Germany, where there has been a failure of political will to make reforms in this area.

Last night Tony Blair gave what is expected to be his last address to the Trade Union Congress in the UK. During that address Mr Blair spoke about the strong labour market, which has continued in the UK as a result of those workplace reforms which, when he became Prime Minister, he refused to rip up in the face of calls from the union movement to do so. Indeed, I note in the press reports of Mr Blair’s speech to the Trade Union Congress overnight that he was heckled by some from the union movement. Several unionists walked out once again. The notable thing is that once again Tony Blair stood firm.

There is a lesson to be learnt in this about the sort of courage and fortitude that one should have in this regard, because strong leaders who are interested in delivering economic prosperity for their country do not cower and take their orders from the union movement like this man over here. What we have seen in the last few months is a capitulation by the Leader of the Opposition to Greg Combet and the union movement. The Deputy Prime Minister noted today that Greg Combet in effect said, ‘We are running the Labor Party again.’ Too right they are, because what they want to do is rip up the very mechanisms—

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms King interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat is warned!

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the very industrial relations reforms which have brought the prosperity which this country has today and which will best meet the challenges that this country faces in the future. We do not need weakness from this man here—this weak, capitulating man; what we need is people who will stand up and meet the challenges that Australia has got and continue the prosperity of this country.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is also to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Isn’t it a fact that a specialist consultant undertook an analysis of the financial records provided by Cowra abattoir and PD Mulligan and provided a report on the financial position of Cowra abattoir over the period 2003 to 2006 to the Office of Workplace Services? If the Cowra administrator found there were highly questionable transfers on the books of the company over the period of the investigation, why didn’t the Office of Workplace Services? Now that the minister has had 24 hours to check, when did the minister, his office, his department or the Office of Workplace Services first become aware that, by 30 June 2006, $1.18 million had been transferred from the Cowra abattoir to a related company of the owner?

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would be good if the member for Perth came in here and told the whole truth for once—

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Stephen Smith interjecting

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, you haven’t, Stephen, and you know it.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Perth has asked his question.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth came in here and made allegations about questionable transactions. Let me read from the report of the insolvency practitioner what the member for Perth failed to disclose to this House—and it is becoming a pattern.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Stephen Smith interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth is warned!

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to these matters, this is what the insolvency practitioner in his report said, amongst other things which you have failed to disclose:

Our inquiries as to the nature of the loan accounts continue and we will report to creditors further if warranted.

He then goes on and says further in the report, which has not been disclosed by the member for Perth:

… notwithstanding that a liquidator would need to carry out further investigations based on the oral evidence from the director and management, prima facie it appears that the company and PD Mulligan entered into these transactions in good faith.

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Stephen Smith interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth is on very thin ice.