Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Collins foolishly interjects. Might I remind her that this is not just the Liberal-National Party position we are talking about. This is the ACTU position. This is the ACCI position. This is the Greens position. This is Senator Xenophon’s position. This is Family First’s position. You have everybody, basically, in coalition against the Labor government, and Minister Gillard still arrogantly asserts: ‘I don’t have to talk to anybody. I just want to force it through the Senate.’ This is, of course, in complete contradistinction to the Labor Party’s assertions before the last federal election about the importance of listening to the Senate and compromising in the Senate, and about understanding that the Senate does have a contribution to make in relation to the formulation of legislation.

Here we have a situation where the Senate, with a huge amount of community and crossbench support, has put forward proposals. The ACTU and ACCI, who are the social partners—they are going to be the two groups at the coalface of this occupational health and safety scheme that would be run nationally—are also supporting these amendments. We write to the minister asking if we can sit down and discuss this, and we are just being ignored. In such circumstances, I am indicating that the coalition is minded to continue its support for all the amendments until such time as the minister is willing to come to the table and engage in some sensible discussions to see this matter move forward.

Occupational health and safety is a hugely important issue. The intergovernmental agreement that has now been reached is in fact building on that which was evolving under the previous coalition government. Everyone is in heated agreement about the need for a national system, so let us not have any blast from those opposite as to how we are not in favour of a good occupational health and safety system in this country—we are. We support it but we believe it could be enhanced by these amendments. That is why we support them. Given the time constraints we labour under, I will complete my remarks there.