House debates
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Questions without Notice
Workplace Relations
2:49 pm
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to the Prime Minister, and I refer to the conflicting answers given to my last question. Now that the Minister for Industrial Relations has been prepared to guarantee that the industrial relations legislation will leave no worker worse off, will the Prime Minister give the same guarantee that his legislation will leave no worker worse off?
2:50 pm
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I completely reject the assertion that has just been made by the Leader of the Opposition. Those on that side may be used to him verballing people on that side, but on this side we don't put up with that sort of thing. They might put up with it in the Labor Party and the union movement, but those who believe in individual liberties on this side of the House—
Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Members will cease interjecting. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes, Mr Speaker. There is a thing called Hansard, and I refer the Prime Minister to that.
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
He needs to be relevant to the question, which is very specific. We're after the same answer that the industrial relations minister gave, or not. It's a decision for him, but abuse of me is not relevant to the answer.
Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.
Government members interjecting—
Members on my right! The Prime Minister obviously, yes, was asked a very specific question, and he rejected the assertion in the question. So I'm listening to the Prime Minister, but he does have to be relevant to the question that was asked.
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'll leave the criticism of the Leader of the Opposition to those who sit behind him. They're very good at it and they're very enthusiastic about it and not too shy or subtle.
Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
But I reject the assertion of the question. I reject the assertion made by the Leader of the Opposition. The statements made by the minister and me are entirely consistent.