Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The last time the Prime Minister claimed job losses at SPC Ardmona were the fault of workers' conditions, the member for Murray said:

It's not the truth. That's right, it's lying.

Does the Prime Minister take any responsibility for smearing those employees, or is it the workers' fault again?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again I say to the Leader of the Opposition and to members opposite, and indeed to all Australians, that I want the workers of this country to be amongst the best paid workers in the world. If we are to be the best paid workers in the world we need to be amongst the most productive workers in the world. I welcome the efforts that the new management at SPC Ardmona have made to restructure their business, and I congratulate the member for Murray for her support for the workers and management at SPC Ardmona.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do. What they have done since new management were installed early last year is that new product lines have been developed, a very good and innovative thing. Since new management were installed early last year new markets have been developed at home and abroad, a very good thing, and I welcome that. I also say that they have made a start to ensure that the workplace is as well managed as it could be, and I welcome that. One thing this government is not going to do, though, is simply hand over $25 million in borrowed money to a highly profitable company that made $215 million in after-tax profit last year. We are just not going to do it. I say to the Leader of the Opposition, surely he is not saying that the taxpayers of Australia should have borrowed $25 million to have given it to a company that made $215 million after tax in just six months. That would have been real business welfare and this government does not support that.