John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Hansard source

I am glad you are enjoying this, Senator Bernardi, because you need a little bit of education. The fact is that NAPSAs will not be affected by this legislation. From 27 March 2009 there will be a minimum of five conditions under the Work Choices act, and they will apply. Therefore, those people who are on NAPSAs—and there are a large number of people on them—will suffer a fate which is worse than death in a sense because this so-called legislation which is meant to be a stronger safety net will not apply to them at all. The so-called fairness test will be seen as nothing more than a cynical move on the part of this government, as it should be.

If equity, fairness and good conscience had prevailed in the first instance, this measure would not be up for determination now. But equity, fairness and good conscience did not apply and so the government have brought this legislation before this chamber in a very cynical way to try to claw back in the polls, where I understand they are not travelling too well. A no disadvantage test was deliberately and consciously left out of Work Choices. It was not left out by mistake; it was left out deliberately. The government had the opportunity when the original legislation was put forward of doing that very thing, as Senator Bartlett reminded the chamber. There is no doubt that the abuses that people have suffered as a result of the Work Choices legislation will never be undone with this new legislation. This legislation will not redress any of the problems that people have faced as a result of signing up to AWAs since the inception of this legislation.

It is only a politically expedient move on the part of this government to see that this legislation is passed before the Senate gets up this week. There is no real value in the legislation in the longer term because this government has no heart in seeing that those who are vulnerable, who are unskilled and who are in precarious employment are protected.