Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think it is imperative that I direct my comments to honourable senators opposite. We talk about employees, independent contractors and employers, but there is a huge group in the Australian workforce who are left out of this discussion—that is, dependent contractors. Quite frankly, I am getting annoyed at the way in which the government and those opposite try to muddy the waters and make it look like every contractor in Australia is independent. I can assure you that in the trucking industry they certainly are not. I dispute some figures put out by the Independent Contractors of Australia. I wanted an opportunity to do so at the committee hearing on 3 and 4 August but the person representing the industry was very well shielded by the chair of the committee and made sure I could not ask my questions.