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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister believe that people working in Australia should get Australian wages and conditions?

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

I think I know what this question is all about. It is quite interesting: their union masters are tugging on the strings. And there he is, the ex-union official: he is dancing and dancing and dancing, as the strings get tugged and tugged and tugged. Let me tell the Leader of the Opposition what happened as a result of the MUA-sponsored legislation on coastal shipping that was brought in by the member for Grayndler. Between 2007 and 2013 the number of major Australian ships fell from 30 to 15. Thanks to the member for Grayndler's MUA-inspired coastal shipping legislation, the number of Australian ships halved. And I will tell you what else happened. In the first year of the operation of the member for Grayndler's MUA-inspired legislation, costs increased by 63 per cent. That is what happened.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This was a very simple, straightforward question, without rhetoric: does this Prime Minister believe that people—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. I have to say, the question was very close to being out of order, but I let it stand. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

It is clear. I think what has really happened here is that the member for Grayndler has set up the Leader of the Opposition. That is what has happened here. The people's choice has set up the union's choice; that is what has happened. And of course the union's choice is always happy to ask a question that he thinks the MUA wants. Well, again, let me say that as a result of the MUA legislation that was brought in by the member for Grayndler, with the support of the Leader of the Opposition, coastal shipping costs rose by 63 per cent—a 63 per cent increase in the cost of coastal shipping, a halving of the number of Australian ships involved in coastal shipping. Because these people opposite are in thrall to the union movement, they have destroyed jobs in shipping—

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Shame!

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned.

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

and they have destroyed jobs in industry which is dependent on coastal shipping. That is what you get from members opposite: you get union control and few jobs. That is what you get from members opposite.