Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

I do wish to remind Senator Fisher that she and all the Liberal Party and National Party senators actually voted for this piece of legislation. They voted for award modernisation. They can now whinge and whine about it, but they voted for it.

Senator Fisher asked a question in regard to other sectors. I can confirm that there have been discussions with other sectors. The Deputy Prime Minister met with: on 25 May, the aged-care industry; on 26 May, the horticulture industry, as I said; on 18 June, the pharmacy industry; on 18 June, the retail industry; on 4 August, independent schools; on 11 August, the AHA; and on 18 August, the Citrus Australia group. We are putting in place detailed reform. We are working with the industry. We are doing it in a balanced and responsible way. This is the difference between the Rudd government, who believes in fairness and balance, and the previous government, who believed in Work Choices.