Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Wong for her question. Indeed I do recall having a very convivial evening with my friends at the HR Nicholls Society. A most enjoyable evening it was indeed. Of course, the HR Nicholls Society is well known for its long campaign to reform Australia’s industrial relations system to give workers more choice and more freedom in the workplace and to advance the cause of ordinary Australian workers by removing the shackles of the outdated, antiquated and old regulated industrial system that we inherited from the Labor Party.

Indeed, our focus on this issue is a reflection of the fact that on this side of the chamber we are focused on policies that seek to advance the interests of ordinary working Australians. I point to the extraordinary improvement in real wages that has occurred under this government: a substantial improvement in real wages for ordinary Australians under the policies put into place by this government and against the opposition of the Labor Party. There was no improvement in real wages whatsoever under the Labor Party, because of its antiquated approach to this issue of industrial relations—a most important issue in terms of Australia preparing itself for the 21st century to ensure that we can maintain a strong economy able to sustain high growth, high jobs, low unemployment and increasing real wages. So we make no apology for the very sensible reforms which begin today and which herald a new era of economic reform for this country.

I think it is a signal of how moderate our changes are that the HR Nicholls Society and others think that we should have gone further. We have not gone as far as they and others think we should. We think our proposals, and the package that comes into force today, are very moderate and reasonable and take account of the fair interests of all workers but ensure that they can have choice in the workplace that will enable them to improve their wages and working conditions.

The Labor Party has to understand, like Mr Blair understands, that this is a whole new world. It is an extraordinary fact that when these changes take full effect Australia will still have a more regulated workplace than either Mr Blair’s United Kingdom or Helen Clark’s New Zealand. Both of those leaders, Labour prime ministers, were sensible enough when they came into office not to roll back the reforms made to their industrial relations arrangements by their Conservative and National predecessors respectively. They, as enlightened Labour leaders, recognised the virtues of the changes brought in by their conservative predecessors. The changes that they made, and which those Labour leaders have kept, have ensured that New Zealand and the United Kingdom have enjoyed sustained high growth and high living standards. This government is committed to ensuring that this country continues to have high living standards for Australians. We are very proud of the changes that come into place today.