Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ferguson for his enthusiastic commitment to job creation and fairness in the workplace. First of all, let me remind honourable senators that an extra 77,000 full-time jobs have been created since Work Choices came into being. So, rather than people being dismissed wholesale, they are being employed.

I am aware of a number of alleged instances of Work Choices being used to unfairly dismiss people—allegations misrepresented and twisted by those on the other side and the unions for what they see as their cheap, short-term political gain. There was of course the Cowra abattoir issue, which was leapt upon by Labor and the unions but found by the independent umpire, the Office of Workplace Services, to be a genuine case of redundancy. Redundancy was an accepted concept in industrial relations well before Work Choices. In other words, nothing changed other than Labor’s attempt to spin. In fact, in five cases highlighted by the unions and the ALP in their advertising campaign, it was found once again by the independent umpire that the assertions made were wrong.

I was asked if I was aware of any new allegations. I can see Senator Marshall getting a bit twitchy, and I know why. I am aware of a new allegation. It is the case of one Dianne Rich, allegedly unfairly dismissed by her employer as a result of evil Work Choices. This is what the employer said about the dismissal: ‘We have a bona fide redundancy here.’ Then, to make the point even stronger, he had to use an expletive. This person continued that he would not be backing down from his position that Ms Rich was losing her job because of a restructure.

Let us have a ‘who said it?’ Who said all that? Who was the employer? None other than Senator Marshall’s mate Dean Mighell, the Victorian head of the Electrical Trades Union.