Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

The honourable senator is misleading the chamber, because we are not cutting penalty rates at all. The independent organisation that has made a judgement in relation to penalty rates was set up by the Labor Party. It was set up by none other than Mr Shorten. He is the one who decided to set it up in a way that was independent from government, because he wanted to protect Australians from a future coalition government. Now, you are asking a coalition government to do what you legislated to prevent us from doing. So, it is your work that is leading to the decision in relation to penalty rates by the independent Fair Work Commission. It is Bill Shorten's work that has led to the decisions of the independent Fair Work Commission. You're just misleading the Senate.