Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Some of that question, I suspect, goes more to the portfolio responsibilities of the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations than to me, but it is a very fair question. In an economy that is as robust as ours, we have to ensure—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

Oh, Senator Macdonald is awake! At least Senator Macdonald is awake; that is an improvement. Senator Macdonald thinks that four per cent economic growth is not a robust economy. Senator Macdonald continues to pretend that we are like the Greek economy. He is now as big a laughing stock as that which Mr Hockey and Mr Abbott turned themselves into just a week or so ago.

I will speak with the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to see what we are able to do to assist those workers in this circumstance. Many in this chamber who have been around for a while will remember that Kodak used to have a factory in Brunswick in Melbourne. I know that Senator Kim Carr will remember that issue, on which the government assisted. (Time expired)