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

Senator Conroy interjects and says, 'You are on a roll.' That indicates the immaturity of mind of the would-be Deputy Leader of the Government in the event that there were to be a change of government. I am sure the galleries and anybody that might be listening in would be horrified at that prospect. The man who ruined the NBN, the man who has no idea about the Defence needs of this country, the man who sought to ridicule men in uniform at Senate estimates, making the most hideous accusations against them using coward's castle, then makes those sorts of mindless interjections.

I just wish more Australians sometimes could watch the goings on in this parliament because they would never vote Labor again. But in a few days time the people of Victoria have a very stark choice, and this is part and parcel of that stark choice. Will they be electing a state government that is in lockstep with the CFMEU which is in lockstep with an industry super fund which has now come under such heavy scrutiny in a royal commission.

These are matters of great moment: the financial security of literally hundreds of thousands of Australians. Here we are talking about the security of thousands of professionals. Indeed, the financial services sector is now the biggest employer in this country and, without so much as a warning, the Australian Labor Party, in cahoots with a few others in this place, are now seeking to throw that sector into complete and utter uncertainty.

I have asked a number of times, rhetorically, as have my colleagues: what is the rush to get this through the Senate today? There is never an answer given. We know that this regulation can be considered in due course under the appropriate timeslot next week, right through next week, right up until close of business on Thursday. But, no, it has got to be done on a separate, special sitting day that the Senate voted for to deal with government business on the basis of the need for senators to come to Canberra to listen to those excellent speeches that we heard from the President of China and the Prime Minister of India.

Those extra days that were set aside to deal with government business have now been subverted, courtesy of the Australian Labor Party, to run this motion of disallowance, a motion of disallowance which will overturn a decision of the Senate that was voted on once in July of this year and another time in October of this year. They are regulations which stop the uncertainty under which, especially, the small business sector had to survive. They were relieved that the uncertainty had gone. Then, after the first victory, they had it come up again four months later. Once again, they were relieved that the Senate had the good sense to keep and endorse the regulations that Senator Cormann so ably crafted and put together.

Now here we are, with no notice, being asked to sweep away this regulation in circumstances where there is no rush, in circumstances where there is no hurry. So the question has to be asked: could it have anything to do with the fact that two senators, in a manner—and we still have not really heard an explanation as to why they have changed their mind—