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

I have spoken with a number of ex-Exclusive Brethren and to me they seem very jolly, decent people. I have also spoken to Exclusive Brethren. Similarly, they seem to me to be decent people. But the debate is not about whether we like somebody or not; the debate is about the principle. Before we get into the conspiracy theories of 1974 and the member for Bennelong being elected, how do we fit into that theory the fact that the New South Wales Labor Attorney-General introduced into the New South Wales industrial legislation identical clauses which we replicated when we came to government not with Work Choices but as early as 1996? It was not part of Work Choices—it predates that. At the time it was not commented on, not condemned and there was no statement to say that it was outrageous. This has come up now because of Senator Bob Brown’s personal beef with a particular organisation. What is very concerning is that the government has now agreed with Senator Brown to join in that jihad. It is not for Senator Brown or for me to ask: how can something be a conscience matter? This legislation does not want Senator Bob Brown or me to be the judge. We give it to an umpire—Fair Work Australia—to examine and determine whether or not the conscience is genuine. What could be fairer than that?