Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I will not often indicate what has happened in the party room, but can I indicate, absolutely and utterly, that no such words were spoken, which again shows that Senator Carr will peddle any untruth to try to pursue his political agenda. What I can tell him is that a former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, blamed the union bosses of the AMWU for the loss of 100,000 manufacturing jobs in Australia. That was not a Liberal Prime Minister but a Labor Prime Minister blaming the AMWU for the loss of 100,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector. And, regrettably, the successors in the AMWU, represented by the likes of Senator Cameron and, before him, Senator George Campbell, have assisted in circumstances that make things very difficult. But, having said that, we know what Mr Keating said about the—(Time expired)