Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to debate Senator Cameron's motion to take note of answers in question time today. Yes, it is all about political ideology and about everything else you want to call it! The only thing that Senator Cameron knows about making a production line more efficient is introducing a picket line. That is his experience in production. That is how he thinks we get production going in this country. He has form—and plenty of it. He comes to this place like so many others on the other side. How many on the other side have ever run a business and had an overdraft? You are a solely-owned subsidiary of the union movement.

While we are talking about the union movement and its role in Qantas: I came to this place in July 2011. What was my first experience? It was the aviation inquiry. I sat on an inquiry when the CEO of Qantas grounded the airline because the unions had got hold of it. Qantas is a unionised workforce, and that is the problem. You are worried and shrill about 5,000 jobs. What about the 30,000 jobs? You are worried about foreign ownership, but, the last time I looked at the Clipsal 500 around the streets of Adelaide, Ford and Holden were owned by foreigners. Where is your problem there? Virgin Airlines is owned by foreigners. Who will take us to war if we have one? Virgin, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Emirates and Etihad will, just like they have been over the last 12 years. Get real with the Australian people. The Australian people get this. You, over the other side, 30-odd of you, are just bashing this up.