Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

As to the procedural steps that were taken in the House of Representatives yesterday, you might actually want to look at the opposition in terms of the tactics that were adopted, which may explain why certain bills were listed where they were listed.

Be that as it may, the point that we made last week, Senator Lambie—the point that we have continued to make and will continue to make—is that this government believes that it is important to do something about silicosis and asbestosis in the workplace. Of course, Labor governments have a very proud record in that regard. We also believe that it's important to deal with the issues around PTSD for first responders and all of the other things that were contained in those bills that you and Senator Pocock put forward last week. But do you know what? It's also pretty important to do something about labour hire workers getting ripped off. It's also pretty important to do something about industrial manslaughter, where workers are killed at work because of the negligence of their employers. It's also pretty important to do something about the safety of delivery drivers and other gig workers, and none of these matters are dealt with, as you well know, in the bills that you put forward to the Senate last week. We do think that it's important to deal with all of those issues that the two Independent senators cherrypicked from our legislation last week, but we also think it's important to deal with all those other matters.

Senator Lambie, I think one of the most important things that you said last week—I think it was in an interview with Radio National—was that the reason that you and Senator Pocock had put forward those items for those bills was that they were the only things that the opposition would agree to. What that means, Senator Lambie—and thank you for informing the Australian public—is that the opposition would not support provisions to deal with wage theft, to deal with industrial manslaughter, to deal with labour hire workers getting ripped off and to deal with delivery drivers getting bad safety. It's an absolute disgrace that the opposition won't back those matters. (Time expired)