Nick Champion (Wakefield, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The problem with those opposite is that they want something for nothing. That is their idea of enterprise bargaining. Only the other day, I was on the Sydney Morning Herald website, and there was the member for Hume out there, talking about the reduction of penalty rates. Then we came here yesterday and, after questioning, the Prime Minister said, 'But what about the deal between Business SA and the SDA? What about that deal in South Australia?' Let me tell you what happened with the deal in South Australia. The pay rises were so significant under it that not one employer has signed up for it. Here is the thing: those opposite do not want to have enterprise bargaining. They do not want to have collective bargaining. What they want is to have something for nothing. What they want to do is reach into every worker's pocket and rip out their Sunday penalties. What do they want to give them in exchange? Absolutely nothing. Zero. That is their agenda. That is why they have sicked the Productivity Commission onto penalty rates. That is why we have the member for Hume up there, auditioning for an assistant ministry spot on his way to higher office. He does not want to trade away workers' wages; he just wants to— (Time expired)