Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Slavery is perhaps the most abhorrent practice in human history, and I doubt that that's a matter up for debate. If we all agree on how deplorable slavery is then I fail to see why those opposite would seek to make the elimination of modern slavery from international supply chains a partisan issue. But, then again, history shows that nothing is above petty partisan politics when it comes to the Australian Labor Party, especially when they are doing the bidding of their union masters.

Senator Keneally interjecting—

Do you think that abolishing slavery is a joke, Senator Keneally? I don't think so. Given the sharp decline in the relevance of trade unions, evidenced by the fact that they now only represent 14 per cent of Australian workers, you would think that this extremely sectional interest group would wake up and accept that its influence has diminished in line with its dwindling representation. Yet, apparently not. Any opportunity to press their thumb on the scale, to leverage undue influence for their flagging enterprise, is grasped with gusto. And that's what today's matter of public importance from the Labor Party is all about.