Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Whether it is Work Choices, unfair dismissals or whatever you want to say, they are going to be taken away as employees from the councils and put under a statutory authority. That will cause a lot of angst not only for the workers out there but also for the councils that remain. What we have done today is to restore democracy in Queensland. At four o’clock, the Friday morning before last, the Beattie government decided that they were not going to have any decisions going against their proposal. Therefore we have come forward today and restored democracy in Queensland. I think it is a great thing for Queensland.

What this shows is the fact that Mr Rudd has absolutely no power, no pull and no direction and that Mr Beattie is just ignoring him completely. That puts paid to any presentation that Mr Rudd would have cooperation with the states. If this is the first sign of cooperation with the states then it is an absolute, miserable failure and is totally unacceptable. Mr Rudd, Kevin07—