Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, this is not the shoppies. For those who have any questions, I urge them to go and visit the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, where union disruption has been preventing necessary safety work being undertaken and people’s lives have been put at risk because of it.

The truth about this is that Labor never wanted to do this. I note that in May 2007 their national conference promised to going to rid of the ABCC and then Dean Mighell made certain comments and put the now Prime Minister under a bit of political pressure—and, to use the example Senator Abetz gave, he was Kevin from Queensland, the economic conservative, and all of a sudden Labor were going to become the tough cop on the beat. That same month they announced this policy, which today they have gone back on. They have gone back on this policy which said that the arrangements, resources and funding for the ABCC would stay in place. They stand condemned for it, and the workers and the community of Australia will pay for it.

Question agreed to.