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

Well, already, in the first week, we can see from that performance by Senator Cash that the coalition, and Senator Cash in particular, are back in their happy place. They're back in their happy place complaining loudly about changing the laws to protect workers and to increase wages. They complain every time Labor does anything about changing the laws to protect workers and increase wages. Why is it that the coalition are always angry? Whether it be Mr Dutton, Senator Cash, Senator Hughes—every member of the coalition—they're always angry, always shouting at people.

There are things that they choose to be angry about. They're angry this week about the Albanese government delivering better tax cuts for middle Australia and low-income earners. They're always angry about wages going up. They're always angry about protecting workers.

Let's not forget that Senator Cash, in particular, has a track record of being angry and making all sorts of hyperbolic statements about IR changes. It was Senator Cash who told us, when we changed the laws in the first place, that we were going to go back to the Dark Ages. Senator Cash, did they have these in the dark ages? I don't remember them having technology in the Dark Ages. Maybe that's because we're not in the Dark Ages, despite our having changed those laws.

Senator Cash told us that we were going to have empty supermarket shelves when we changed the laws for IR. Did that happen? No. Go down to your local Woolworths. Actually, you can't do that, because you're boycotting Woolworths! Go down to your local Coles or IGA and you'll find that the supermarket shelves are quite full. So, in contrast to what we've always heard from Senator Cash—saying that we'd go to the Dark Ages, that we'd have empty supermarket shelves—what have we actually seen as a result of the laws the Albanese government has changed when it comes to workers? We've seen higher wages, lower unemployment, lower industrial action and inflation coming down. Every single thing that Senator Cash has predicted, when it comes to IR changes, has been wrong. That is because Senator Cash and the coalition are driven by ideology rather than facts or delivering higher wages, lower unemployment, more secure work, lower industrial action and inflation that is falling. That is the Labor government's record and that is what we will do as a result of this legislation. On that basis, I move that the question be put.