Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

So do not think, because they gave you a touch-up when you did the right thing and then you do a triple somersault with pike and you are back here, that The Australian will think much of you. They will not, because I can tell you: not many people in here think much of you and what you have done. This mob over here think you are an easy touch. We think you cannot be trusted. The Australian construction industry do not know what to think of you, and Senator Xenophon is not much better. He should know better. He is more experienced. So I will give you some leeway, Senator Hinch: you just are not experienced. You are not used to bargaining. You are not used to negotiating. You are not used to getting done over. This is not you sitting with a big silver mike in front of you, pontificating about, 'Shame, shame, shame!' This is real life. This is not a plaything.

So what you need to do is think carefully about playing with workers' wages and conditions and workers' rights. The Housing Industry Association yesterday made it clear that the tactic that will be employed against building and construction workers is to force them into the commission and argue that they should lose their enterprise agreement and go back on the award rate, with hundreds and hundreds of dollars being lost by workers in the building and construction industry. This is not about efficiency. This is not about illegal activity. This is simply about this mob here having a hatred for collective bargaining in this country. One Nation, the Nick Xenophon Team and you, Senator Hinch, should not fall for this con job of a bill, which is hopeless in terms of delivering for working people. So, Senator Hinch, think again.