Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is not just me, Senator Williams, who has been saying this. I want to read you a quote from none other than Peter Reith, the former workplace relations minister in the Howard government. He said on the Drum yesterday that:

Abbott said of the dispute that "it is not a policy problem, it is a competency problem". These comments are obviously inaccurate … Tony only said that because, as everyone knows, the Abbott Coalition no longer has a policy on industrial relations.

They are the comments of the former Howard government minister for workplace relations. He realises that the coalition do not have a policy on industrial relations and the Australian public and the media are quickly beginning to realise that those opposite do not have a policy when it comes to industrial relations. The provisions that have been discussed in respect of this dispute—whether section 424 or section 431 of the act should have been used in these circumstances—are really irrelevant. The fact is that those provisions have been a part of industrial legislation at a national level in this country since 1993. They were introduced as part of the Brereton reforms in the Industrial Relations Reform Act 1993. During the whole period of the Workplace Relations Act and Work Choices under the Howard government, these provisions were available to be used, and there were several disputes where there was potential harm to the national interest and potential damage to the economy. How many times during that period did the minister for workplace relations under the Howard government use section 431 to make a ministerial declaration? A big, fat zero—never! The provision has never been used, yet those opposite come in here—the ultimate height of hypocrisy—and seek to criticise us for not using the provision.

When we were informed by Qantas of their ambush on the Australian flying public and the international public, we acted quickly, we acted decisively and we acted appropriately. We sought advice and got an urgent hearing with Fair Work Australia—we got a hearing on a Saturday. And what do you know? They heard the application and they acted appropriately—they terminated the bargaining period. The act worked. I finish with Peter Reith's quote:

I shuddered when I realised that senior Liberals including Tony Abbott were publicly encouraging PM Gillard to intervene …

They are the comments of Peter Reith, the former workplace relations minister. He got it right and the government got it right.