Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

I address my question to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Abetz. I refer to a report in the Financial Review on 27 January which stated that, under current Australian workplace agreements, employers in a meat-packing company in South Australia, majority owned by the Packer family, did not treat Australia Day as a public holiday last month and posted notices to the 250 staff stating that it was a normal working day. Given that it is possible under the current laws for employers to abolish Australia Day, how can the government claim that public holidays will be protected under its new regime in which the no disadvantage test will be removed?