Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Bernardi, you should have far greater empathy for those workers who were so unfairly treated, like yourself, by their boss. Senator Abetz said today, when he led the debate for the coalition, that Work Choices was dead. But there is a feeling on this side of the chamber that perhaps it is not really dead; it is just in an induced coma. Work Choices, as far as the coalition is concerned, is not dead; it is just in an induced coma and it is waiting for that horrible day when the coalition may return to government. But if, as Senator Abetz said today, Work Choices is dead then we owe it to Work Choices to give it a dignified burial. How do we give Work Choices a dignified burial? Of course, we pass this worker-friendly legislation, and we pass it this week. That is how we do it. After all, this legislation cost you the election. There is no doubt about that; it cost you the last election. It cost you a prime minister. You lost a prime minister over that. At least for those reasons alone you ought to give Work Choices a dignified burial.