Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for Workplace Relations. I refer the minister to his recent visit to the Tamworth abattoir, the Peel Valley Exporters. Will the minister now swing by Australian Country Choice meatworks in Brisbane, where workers are required to sign this ‘take it or leave it’ AWA that contains no penalty rates, no shift allowances, no overtime rates and no public holiday rate or weekend penalty rate? Will the minister explain to these Brisbane meatworkers how, under the government, the choice at the appropriately named Australian Country Choice is a choice with one option: take the AWA or don’t get the job at all?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all learnt a lesson from the member for Perth yesterday not to take on face value anything raised by the Labor Party in this place. It seems as though it is always a case of: when the Labor Party raise a particular issue in this place and when we delve into the facts we find that they do not speak the truth. I and the government make no apology for trying to find work for Australian workers. We make no apology for Work Choices because, in the 199 days since Work Choices started, wages are up, jobs are up and industrial disputation is at its lowest level since 1913. So we make no apologies for the industrial changes. They represent good news for Australian workers right across the country.

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, perhaps to assist the minister, if he does not take my word for it, I am happy to table the document and he can read it for himself. I seek leave to table the document.

Leave granted.