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

I can assure the honourable senator that that is one question I will not have to take on notice. The best thing Australian families can do if they are concerned for their families is to re-elect the Howard-Costello coalition team. That is the best thing they can do, because that is where the future of this great country lies—in continuing to develop the prosperity that we have now gained the benefits from. I fully accept what Senator Minchin and others have said: that Work Choices was not popular. Can I tell you this: the goods and services tax was not popular, and those opposite thought they could surf into government on the back of a negative campaign against it. What is their policy now? To fully embrace the GST. Remember when Mr Rudd became leader? He was going to rip up Work Choices lock, stock and barrel. Now all of a sudden he is trying to play a dance, because he accepts that Work Choices has many very good elements in it and he realises that he would be destroying over 400,000 jobs if he continued with his policy. (Time expired)