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 ABC has today revealed that workers at Sydney airport are sleeping rough between shifts in their own workplace because they cannot afford to go home between their shifts. When there are real problems like this, why is the Prime Minister's priority today weakening protections against racist hate speech and ignoring workers like this who are suffering?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My government is focused on delivering the strong economic growth that Australians seek and securing their energy future, on ensuring that the opportunities for our children and grandchildren are even greater than those that we have had. That is our objective and that is what we are delivering. What Labor focus on is one ideological agenda after another, whether it is undermining our energy security or seeking to engage in an anti-business campaign the likes of which we have not seen for several generations.

Only yesterday we heard the Leader of the Opposition defending his track record as a Labor leader, as a union leader. His shadow Attorney-General said how proud they all were of his leadership, of all of the workers he sold down the river, of all the penalty rate deals he did, of all of the payments that came back to the Australian Workers Union, carefully documented in the royal commission and not exposed.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's happening on your watch!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thought the member was defending the Leader of the Opposition there. I thought—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order?

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

On relevance. I asked about the scandal at Sydney airport right now, today. What are you doing about these workers, Prime Minister?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will ask the minister for transport to address the issue at Sydney airport.

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Prime Minister for the opportunity to clarify the record in relation to the incidents referred to by the Leader of the Opposition. On this side of the House we take aviation safety very seriously and we are proud of Australia's enviable safety record. My office this morning has sought some assurances in relation to the reports that were in the media last night and again this morning. I am aware of concerns that were raised in relation to operations by Aerocare, which is an Australian ground handling company working for many of the major airlines at our major airports.

There are a range of mechanisms in place in relation to aviation safety systems, where anyone who is concerned about any safety issues can raise those issues with our safety investigators or the regulatory agencies. These include the ability to make confidential reports directly to the ATSB, which is the Australian aviation safety investigator. I would encourage anyone with genuine concerns in relation to those matters to raise those concerns with our airports, to use those reporting mechanisms.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear those opposite interjecting. It is irresponsible to make allegations without going through the process of actually making those reports known to the safety investigator, being the ATSB. It is typical of Labor to be seeking to scare the Australian travelling public rather than going through the proper processes. I emphasise again that on this side of the House we take aviation safety— (Time expired)