Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his previous answer and his invitation to use the existing laws to end this strike action. Prime Minister, will you use the powers available to you under section 498 of the Workplace Relations Act to end this Qantas strike action that is damaging the Australian economy?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, this protected industrial action occurs under the existing industrial relations laws of the previous government. Secondly, those negotiations are underway. It is regrettable that industrial action occurs. It disrupts the economy. The government accepts that. The government recognises that. More broadly, on the question of the impact on tourism, the government remains committed to acting with the tourism sector to ensure that the best support for the Australian tourism industry is provided.

I say to those opposite that I do not recall them in the past ever waving their hands in the air when protected industrial action occurred under these laws on previous occasions. They did not. Therefore, I would suggest that there is a gross inconsistency in the position they are adopting on this matter. I think the nation would be serviced very well if the alternative government of Australia could answer clearly once and for all: are they still the party of Work Choices? Are they still the party of AWAs? Are they still the party which strips away penalty rates and overtime from working families and working Australians? I would suggest in the absence of any answer to the contrary that their answer to that is still, ‘Yes, yes and yes.’ It would be very useful for the Australian nation to know formally from the Leader of the Opposition whether Work Choices is still the position of the Liberal Party of Australia.