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

Without delaying the Senate too long, this tranche of amendments has items in it that we think are good but also items that we think are bad. On balance, we will be voting against them—I indicate that, in case there is support from the crossbenches for that on the voices. We are concerned that these further amendments will permit awards to retain state based differences based on certain peculiar circumstances. This, of course, is a substantial wind-back of the position that awards should provide a national uniform safety net for an industry without state based differences. This will, we believe, permit union friendly deals in a particular state to be retained regardless of whether they are an appropriate safety net. Of course, we have had that discussion already in relation to item (2). I will leave my comments there.