Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

I've had trouble getting on the speakers list. There've been so many wonderful speakers who have spoken today. I spoke earlier today about the passion of a new senator, Senator Sheldon, and you just saw Senator Gallacher, again from that great trade union, the Transport Workers Union, talk with passion about the problems he's experienced over a lifetime of looking after working people. I think it's an indication of the passion on this side of the chamber and the heartlessness on the other side in terms of the problems that ordinary working people are facing.

I did get a chance to quickly listen to Senator Pratt's contribution and that of another new senator, Senator Ayres, from that other great trade union, the Amalgamated Metal Workers Union. They're a terrific organisation. In my own state they were led by a fellow called John Camillo, recently retired, who had to experience the horrible circumstances of this government closing down Holden and the rest of the car industry in this country and deal with the absolutely tragic consequences of a government completely uninterested in the issues that affect working people in this country.

I do have to compliment the minister, though—one compliment you'll get from me, Minister. Often ministers come into this chamber when they're dealing with legislation and either don't know anything about the legislation they're supporting or seeking to introduce or, worse still, don't care. But I have to compliment you, Minister: you've answered all of our questions, and that's a very worthy thing to do, because we're getting answers to the questions. That's the extent of my compliment, Minister, because the problem is that the answers you're giving are confirming our worst fears about this legislation. Everything you've said to us today is an indication as to why this legislation should be rejected.

I noticed just before I left the chamber earlier that you commented on my reflections of the equivalence argument, the way the government's been arguing the equivalence argument and the effect on the crossbenchers. I want to make it clear, Minister, that I don't think the crossbenchers are going to fall for that equivalence argument. And if it is thought that I was suggesting that, then I want to make it very clear: I think the crossbenchers are smarter than the government thinks, because they're not going to buy the argument about equivalence and are quite capable of making up their own mind about this legislation. When they think about it and listen to your answers—which, in fairness to you, have been very honest answers—about the way this legislation is going to operate in practice, they will see that our position, which is that the bill should be totally rejected, is the correct position.

I notice that you were trying to put a little bit of dressing on the cake—there's a little smile from you, minister—by suggesting—