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

I will make the point again: this was an agreement that was made by employers and employees directly. There was no government involvement. There was no involvement from Fair Work Australia. Can I make the point that the government, when constructing Fair Work Australia, conducted extensive consultations with industry, with business and with employee representatives. One of the few things that was unanimously agreed upon by all employer representatives, including AMMA, was that Fair Work Australia should not be able to intervene to end a bargaining dispute and arbitrate an outcome except in the most exceptional of circumstances. That was agreed unanimously by employer organisations. Again, it is complete hypocrisy for the opposition to argue that the provisions of the Fair Work Act have failed. The provisions concerning harm to the economy are identical, Senator Abetz, to the previous—(Time expired)