Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

As I indicated in my earlier answer, all the evidence points to the act delivering the sorts of outcomes that the parliament would expect. It is delivering low levels of disputation at the same time that it is providing employees with important rights and obligations that allow them to be treated fairly and safely in their work places. This is in stark contrast to the regime of the previous, Liberal government—the regime of Work Choices—where rights and conditions of ordinary working people were being downgraded and ripped away.

It is interesting to note that Senator Abetz and others have rejoined the debate on industrial relations in recent days thanks to Mr Reith but they are starting to talk about flexibility. 'Flexibility' is code for reducing wages and conditions and removing rights to unfair dismissal protection. This is, again, the traditional Liberal Party agenda of reducing rights and conditions for— (Time expired)